Scott P. Alexander, age 66
St. Joseph
May 17, 1956-March 31, 2023
Scott P. Alexander, 66, died at his home March 31. His funeral was held April 14, at Peace Lutheran Church in Cold Spring, Minn. Inurnment was in the St. Boniface Parish Cemetery.
Alexander was born May 17, 1956, to Thomas and Jean (Wichman) Alexander in St. Cloud. He was a fourth-generation member of the family-owned Cold Spring Granite Co. and worked there during his high school years. He graduated from Rocori High School in 1974 and then moved to Gunnison, Colo. where he attended Western State University. When Scott returned to Minnesota, he attended St. Cloud Technical College and received his degree in professional technical sales. During this time, he was also remodeling and painting houses in the St. Cloud area on the side.
In 1979, Alexander returned to Cold Spring Granite and worked in the monument sales division where he travelled and established relationships with monument dealers mostly in the Wisconsin and Michigan area. It was during this time he envisioned a more advanced way to allow customers to have a more personalized monument. He moved to Santa Rosa, Calif., and accepted a position at LaserCraft as project manager in the stencil division. During his time at LaserCraft, he obtained a certificate in industrial processing lasers and their applications. As a result of his research and development, Alexander went on to pioneer the world’s first laser cut monument stencil. These new stencils were first available through Cold Spring Granite Co. This was the beginning of many other processes that became available for personalization in the industry. Alexander returned to Minnesota and in 1985 met his wife, Sue Russell. They married in 1989 and shared 33 loving years together. In 1990, he obtained his own laser and started his company, Altec Industries. His wife Sue joined the company in 1992 and together they operated the business for 12 years. They sold his lasercut stencils, along with a new portrait stencil that he developed, directly to monument dealers throughout the United States. Because of his expertise in both laser and granite, he also pioneered a portrait mold for the Granite Bronz division of Cold Spring Granite. Eventually Alexander’s knowledge and exceptional talents as a craftsman led him into the field of restoring vintage classic boats. Most of his commissioned work came from the Lake Minnetonka and Gull Lake areas. This work was truly his passion and he felt blessed to be able to do this work as a career.
Alexander loved spending time with his wife, their springer spaniel dogs, their families and many friends, boating, four-wheeling, snowmobiling, skiing, camping, swimming, road tripping, music, reading and hanging out in his shop. We will laughingly remember Alexander’s quick wit, great stories, conversation and making people and complete strangers feel welcome. And we will not forget how joyful, funny and engaging he was with everyone he met.
Survivors include the following: his wife; siblings Patty (J.D.), Mary, Barbie, Thomas Jr., James (Joydell); close friend Jim Svihel; many in-laws and many nieces and nephews, several of whom were very close friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Jean, and nephew Scott Saudinaitis,
Many thanks to the palliative care team and the Coborn’s Cancer Center for their care and compassion.
Arrangements are with Wenner Funeral Home, Cold Spring.
