Naomi Roth Alexander, 90, died peacefully at Luther Crest, after a long struggle with dementia, on the evening of May 26th with her husband sitting beside her bed, holding her hand. They were married 65 years. Naomi was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of George and Kathryn [Carman] Roth.
She is survived by her husband, Edwin Alexander, and three children: daughter Laura Kleinschmidt, her husband David, of Center Valley, PA, and their daughter, Rachel of Chambersburg, PA; son Matthew Alexander, his wife Paula [Lindsay], and their daughters, Lindsay and Hannah, all of Athens, GA; and son James Alexander and his wife Rebecca [Collins] of Lexington Park, MD.
Her five siblings, George and Warren, of Los Angeles, Raymond of Salt Lake City, Anna Mae Cassaday of Levittown, PA, and Eleanor Dyke of Parkersburg, WV, predeceased her. Naomi is survived by many nieces and nephews scattered all over the United States.
She moved with her family as a child to Pitman, NJ, where she graduated from high school. She was a member of the greatest generation. After high school, she went to work as a secretary at Esterbrook Pen Company, Camden, New Jersey, which converted during WWII to making gas masks for the Army.
After the war, she worked in Philadelphia where she met her future husband. They were married in 1951 and then moved to his job in northern New jersey. In 1962, his job took them to Allentown where they have lived ever since.
Naomi was a community activist. She was a member of the Allentown League of Women Voters for many years. She was President of the Allentown League for two terms during the 1970s. When her youngest child began school she enrolled as a freshman at Cedar Crest College and graduated, Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts in 1978. She then went to work at the Allentown Art Museum in the curatorial department where she specialized in Japanese wood block prints. She was also very interested in Native American art and culture and served for many years as the curator of the Lenni Lenape Indian Museum in Allentown.
She was a gifted watercolorist, metalworker and an avid gardener. She planned, and with her husband and some dedicated contractors, carried out the restoration of their post Civil War stone farmhouse in Coopersburg. This transformation of their home spanned their 38 years of occupancy and was a great source of pleasure for Naomi.
Her greatest satisfaction, however, came from caring for the evolving needs of her growing family. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who resolved daily crises with infinite love, patience, and understanding.
Services: Norcross-Weber Funeral Home, 101 N. Main St., Coopersburg, PA 18036. Wednesday, June 1, 2016. Calling Hour10:00 am, Service 11:00 am followed by interment at Woodland Cemetery, Blue Church Road, Coopersburg.
Luther Crest, Crest Hall, 800 Hausman Road, Allentown, PA 18104. Saturday, June 4, 2016. Celebration of Life, 2:00 pm.
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Lehigh Valley Branch Office, 617 A Main Street, Hellertown, PA 18055.