Dr. Robert Lin Alexander Jr.'s Obituary
Dr. Robert Lin Alexander, Jr. Part of the three-generation, 110-year medical history of Okmulgee is gone. Dr. Robert Lin Alexander, Jr died January 20, 2023, after a long illness. His Grandfather, Dr. Lin Alexander came to Okmulgee before statehood in 1903 and established a medical practice. Dr. Lin’s sons Dr. T.C. Alexander went into practice with his father in the late 1920s and Dr. Robert Lin Alexander, Sr. established his practice in 1935. Dr. Robert Lin Sr and Urith Allen Alexander (Bowden) were the parents to Dr. Robert Lin Alexander, Jr, born on July 8, 1936, at the old Okmulgee Hospital.
Bob was educated in the Okmulgee Public Schools, graduating from Okmulgee High School in 1954. He attended pre-med at Oklahoma University and medical school at Oklahoma University College of Medicine, graduating in 1961. The day before graduating from Medical School, he married his high-school sweetheart, Julia Ann Liles.
He served his Internship and Surgical Residency at St. Louis City Hospital, St. Louis, MO where he was Chief Resident of Surgery his final year. While in his residency he entered the Berry Plan, a two-year military commitment so he could finish his residency without a draft interruption.
Immediately after finishing his residency Dr. Bob entered the US Army at Ft. Hood TX in 1967. He was at Ft. Hood for a year before being sent to the 12th EVAC Hospital at Chu Chi, Vietnam in support of the 25th Infantry Division in 1968. He was an Army Surgeon at Chu Chi during the Tet Offensive of 1968. While as a Captain in the US Army he was awarded the Bronze Star, Nation Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Meritorious Unit Commendation.
When he was discharged from the Army, he came back to Okmulgee and established his Surgical Practice with his father and his brother, Dr. Tom Alexander. During this time, Dr. Bob served as President of the Okmulgee Chamber of Commerce. He served several years as the doctor for the football program at Okmulgee High School and set up the patient triage at Okmulgee Memorial Hospital during the Morris tornado of 1984. Additionally, Dr Bob was a member of the Okmulgee-Okfuskee Medical Association, and was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was a delegate to the Oklahoma State Medical Society meeting and attended many national meetings of the AMA.
In 1975, Dr. Alexander re-enlisted as a Major in the US Army and took his wife and three children to spend three years working at the 5th General Hospital in Stuttgart, Germany. While there, he and his family traveled all over Europe, welcoming family and friends from Okmulgee to join in their adventures.
After returning to Okmulgee, Dr. Bob re-established his practice and served a term as Chief of Staff at Okmulgee Memorial Hospital. In 1987, he opened a small bistro called Bob’s Eatery & Catery. One of Bob’s passions was good food. The Eatery served lunch and dinner, where Bob occasionally joined Chef Rene Jungo in the kitchen in the evenings.
After closing Bob’s Eatery & Catery, Dr. Bob decided to travel to other parts of the United States and practice surgery. Over the next 10 years, he affiliated with Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria OR; Moses Lake Clinic, Moses Lake WA; Iron Mountain Veterans Hospital, Iron Mountain MI and J.C. Montgomery VA Affairs Medical Center, Muskogee, OK.
In 1999, Bob and Julia retired to Okmulgee. Bob liked to travel and go to casinos. He enjoyed his hobby of fishing and collected hand-made fishing decoys.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years Julia Liles Alexander, children: Jeffery Lin Alexander and Sarah (wife), James Lile Alexander and Becky (wife), Jennifer Loia Alexander and Gina (wife). Siblings include Dr. Thomas Crawford Alexander, brother; Dr. Ann Elizabeth Alexander, sister; Kathryn Sue Alexander, sister and Alicia (wife). Grandchildren are: Riley Mattison Alexander, Connor Lin Alexander, Peyton Elizabeth Alexander, and Robert Clark Alexander and several nieces and nephews. A committal service will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, April 8, 2023, at the Okmulgee Cemetery. A time of remembrance will be held at the Alexander home following the ceremony. lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Dr. R. L. Alexander, Jr. may be made to any preferred veterans’ organization.
Cremation arrangements and services have been entrusted to the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home of Okmulgee. Memories, condolences, photos and videos may be shared with the family Bob ’s Tribute Page of our website at www.mcclendon-winters.com
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