Sam Alexander passed away after a brief illness February 15, 2015 in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Sam was born January 12, 1945 in Norfolk, Virginia, the son of the late Samuel Warren Alexander, Sr. and Joanna Russell Williams. Sam had been employed by the Department of Defense Overseas Schools and taught in Zaragosa, Spain and Karamursel, Turkey, before his last assignment in Kaiserslautern, Germany. During his tenure as music director at Kaiserslautern High School, Sam, with his students, produced the first DoDDs CD in 1991. The concert and jazz bands combined with the school choirs to produce the first compact disc. The CD featured pop, jazz, gospel, classical, and traditional concert band music. Through his music classes Mr. A (as he was affectionately called) taught students not only about different music genres but life lessons about commitment, perseverance, and love of music. Throughout the 1990's and until his retirement in 2001 Sam taught some of the first computer music classes in DoDDs.

The Kaiserslautern music students were musical ambassadors under the tutelage and tenure of Mr. A. His students performed with the German popstar, Howard Carpendale in West Berlin, traveled and performed for students in Prague (shortly after the newly formed Czech Republic opened), and hosted many musical groups from the States, including, on numerous occasions, the well-known, Hall High School of Hartford, Connecticut. In the local, Kaiserslautern community Sam's bands and choirs often performed for gymnasiums in the area. He was instrumental in assisting the German music directors in establishing the Rittersberg Big Band. His jazz musical knowledge and expertise supported the fledging band in its early years.

For many years Sam was the director of the Trippstadt Gospel and Spiritual Choir in Trippstadt, Germany. He taught lessons on the background of the musical songs to be performed so the German choir members would have an understanding of the music they would sing. While choir direction was given in German the choir sang in English. In addition, Sam was also asked to be the director of the local Rheinpfalz Choir that often accompanied the USAFE band in concerts at the Fruchthalle.

Sam was an avid skier and introduced the sport to Kate and eventually the children. They were a skiing family and enjoyed many ski vacations in the Austrian Alps. Their favorite place to meet their close ski friends was in Ischgl, Austria. The LaValley, Clawson, Knudsen, and Alexander families spent more than 20 Christmas holidays together in Ischgl. Their week included many traditions as T-dancing, sleigh rides to Mathon, and the presentations of awards on the last night revealing highlights of an eventful and fun ski week. Though Sam never received the "Husband of the Year" award, he was "Kate's love of a lifetime".

Sam is survived by his wife, Kate; and two children: son Warren (Melissa Popadiuk) of Newport News, VA and their daughter, Katja Annalise; and daughter Brigitte (Ceven) Epps of Raeford, NC and their son, Jeremiah Jackson; a special sister-in-law, Colleen McMahon of Little Chute,WI; a sister, Verdonda (Timothy) Wright of Virginia Beach, VA; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held February 28, 2015 in Trippstadt where Sam had conducted the Gospel and Spiritual Choir and a final service as a tribute to his musical contributions to DoDDS on April 25, 2015. Both German and American friends acknowledged their friendship to a very unique musician, teacher, and friend. Through the efforts of the EMEA (Sam was a former past president of the European Chapter of European Music Educators Association) Sam was awarded a final tribute by the National Association for Music Education with a brick that was placed in the Walk of Fame at the national headquarters in Reston, Virginia.