Harold R. Alexander | Engineer, 77

Harold R. Alexander, 77, of Glenolden, a retired aeronautical engineer, died of pulmonary fibrosis Jan. 22 at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park.

Mr. Alexander was an engineer with Boeing Co. in Delaware County for 28 years until his retirement in 1995. An expert in composite materials, he was involved in the development of the V-22 Osprey, an aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter. Once airborne, its blades can be rotated to convert to a turboprop airplane. Ospreys are being flown in Iraq.

A native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Mr. Alexander earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's degree in engineering from Queen's University there. He also earned a bachelor's and a master's degree in general arts from Trinity College in Dublin.

He and his family came to the United States in the early 1960s when he was recruited to work for Curtiss-Wright Corp. in New Jersey.

He embraced his new country, and became interested in the history of other immigrants from his homeland, said his wife, Jane Alexander. In 2000, he cofounded the Scotch-Irish Studies Center and was past president of the Scotch-Irish Society of the United States.

In addition to his wife of 54 years, he is survived by sons John and Geoffrey; three sisters; a brother; and three grandchildren.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 104 Louella Ave., Wayne.