Ignatius Pascal Alexander

Ignatius Pascal Alexander was born on April 9, 1944, in the village of Colihaut, Dominica, in the West Indies. He was the son of Villa Phillip Alexander, a skilled local carpenter, and Maudrie Gertrude Lecointe, affectionately known as "Saysay" (French dialect of Patois for “Sister”). Ignatius grew up in a bustling household with six siblings. (The eldest, Valence, tragically passed as an infant.) He was guided by his three older siblings—Edward, Alix, and Eubald—and, in turn, took on the role of mentor for his younger siblings: Amoy, Jacqueline, and Bernard.

Ignatius’ mother, Saysay, was far from a "stay-at-home mom." She was a woman of many talents, raising bananas, oranges, mangoes, cocoa, coffee, and other crops while also working as a seamstress and filling the air with her songs. She instilled in her children the love of music and the value of education – a lesson Ignatius took deeply to heart. Through hard work and her encouragement, he earned a scholarship to St. Mary’s Academy in the capital city of Roseau, where he later taught after graduating in 1959.

In 1963, Ignatius entered the Catholic Congregation of Irish Christian Brothers and embarked on his journey to America on none other than July 4. His fellow Brothers often joked that the fireworks weren’t celebrating Independence Day—they were for his grand arrival at West Park, New York, along the Hudson River.

At Iona College in New Rochelle, Ignatius majored in French – the love of foreign language would shape much of his career. His time at Iona was eventful: he met Louis Armstrong at a school concert, learned to play the guitar (and eventually the banjo), and graduated in 1967. He then began teaching at Essex Academy in Newark, New Jersey.

During the upheaval of the Second Vatican Council and its reforms, Ignatius began a correspondence with a cloistered Ursuline sister from Idaho. (Perhaps this particular Vatican reform encouraging single men to correspond with single women was a bit ill-advised!) Around the same time, Ignatius decided to leave the Catholic Congregation in the late 1960s. He transitioned to teaching at St. Cecilia’s in the Bronx and later St. Nicholas of Tolentine High School from 1969 to 1970. While there, he befriended Fr. Shawn Tracy, O.S.A. and became the lead singer on two albums of liturgical music, “The 10:15” (based on the Mass Time), “Making Tracks, and “Songs of the Father” – He also sang on two recordings with his newphew, Vaughn “King Shakey” James.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Ursuline Sister Michael, Yvonne Marie Rabdau, also left her convent, paving the way for a new chapter in both their lives. Ignatius and Yvonne married in 1973 and began building a life together. Ignatius & Yvonne welcomed three children into their lives: Ian Lecointe Alexander in 1977, Marcel Owen Alexander in 1979, and Aimee Rabdau Alexander (Maldonado) in 1980.

Ignatius’ career continued in the Yonkers Public Schools, where he became a beloved teacher of French, Italian, and Latin for 34 years. He also studied Italian at the Dante Alighieri Society in Florence during two summers. In 1984, the family moved to a home in Stormville, New York, where they enjoyed more space for their growing family.

Ignatius became a U.S. citizen on January 4, 1979. He watched the news every day, voted regularly, and always kept up with current political and international affairs. His children fondly remember him listening to the BBC on his shortwave radio in the 1980s and 1990s, usually while sitting at his desk correcting student papers. Another distinct memory involves his almost obsessive dedication to chopping wood for the basement wood burning stove—a task he seemed to genuinely enjoy.

To supplement his teaching income, Ignatius shared his love of music by singing and playing guitar in the evenings at bars and restaurants in New York City and the greater Hudson Valley. He sang with Pete Seeger at the Clearwater Festival on the Hudson River. His performances left such a lasting impression that strangers would often recognize him when he was out with his kids, much to their amusement and mild embarrassment.

To many, Ignatius was introverted, stoic, and diligent in his pursuits. To others, he was personable, disarming with his collection of corny dad jokes, and calm and collected when entertaining large crowds. His children remember him as deeply invested in their education, overly enthusiastic about running errands, and always singing, whistling, or listening to music—from American folk, to Italian and French melodies, to '60s, '70s, and '80s pop and country tunes.

Ignatius loved taking his family on long-distance road trips within the United States and leading his fellow teachers, students, and his children on educational tours across Europe with CHA and EF Tours – 30 trips in all! During these trips, he earned the affectionate title of "capo gruppo." He also found great joy in getting together with family. Ignatius sponsored all but one of his sibling to the United States. He was exceptionally proud to be an American citizen as well as held immense pride in his Dominican heritage.

Ignatius officially retired from teaching in 2004, but he returned to teaching briefly at Immaculate High School in Danbury, Connecticut, for seven more years. In later years, he and Yvonne followed their children to Minnesota and eventually Arizona, where he became a proud grandfather, affectionately known as “Tata.” He deeply loved his children and grandchildren and, while strict, always wanted the best for them.

Even as his health began to decline in 2020, Ignatius never lost his knack for humor—predictable as it may have been. When asked how he was doing, he would often flash a cheeky grin and channel the Bee Gees, saying, “I’m staying alive.” It was a lighthearted reminder of his resilient spirit and his ability to brighten the lives of those around him.

Ignatius passed away after a brief two-day stay in hospice care in Surprise, Arizona, with his family nearby on January 21, 2025. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Yvonne Marie (Rabdau) Alexander; his son Ian Alexander of Minneapolis, MN; his son Marcel Alexander of the Bronx, NY; and his daughter Aimee (Antonio) Alexander Maldonado of Goodyear, Arizona and his five grandchildren: Antonio, Marcos, Maudrie, James, and Rafael.

He was predeceased by his parents – siblings, Valence Alexander, Edward Alexander, Eubald Alexander, and Amoy Williams.

There will be two funeral services. The Arizona Funeral Mass will take place on Friday, February 28th at St. John Vianney in 800 Loma Linda Blvd, Goodyear, Arizona 85338 at 2 PM with a reception to follow. There also will be a Funeral Mass in New York in June – details to follow.

To view the livestream of the mass at St. John Vianney Church, please follow this link:

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