Harold Hershon Alexander died peacefully on August 27, 2026, at Haven Memory Care in Athens, Georgia. He was 88.

The son of Eva Shaw and Benjamin Alexander, Harold was born on October 11, 1937, in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in nearby Cambridge, just six blocks from Harvard College, which he attended and graduated from. He went on to earn his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine and began his medical career with a residency at Albany Medical Center.

It was at Albany Medical Center that Harold met Nancy Belknap, a critical care nurse. They married in 1963 and shared 59 years together. In 1969, Harold began serving as a physician in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, where he served until 1971. That same year, Harold and Nancy moved to Atlanta, where they would make their home for the rest of their lives.

Harold joined the private orthopedic practice of Marvin Rothenberg and Howard Hecht and spent his career caring for patients and performing orthopedic surgery at Northside Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital, and what was then Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital. Although he retired from his group practice in 1997, he continued to work in orthopedic practices in the Sandy Springs area when needed. He also volunteered as a physician with Good Samaritan, continuing that work until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought his volunteer service to an end.

Harold and Nancy lived in and enjoyed renovating their contemporary home on Crest Valley Drive in Atlanta for nearly 50 years. They shared an appreciation for modern furniture, photography, and art, and they loved traveling together. Over the years, they took biking and hiking trips around the world and made a point of visiting art museums wherever they traveled. Their home was also a gathering place for family, where they watched their children and grandchildren grow.

Family was especially important to Harold, and his grandchildren held a very special place in his heart. He remained close to all four of them throughout their lives. His grandchildren Matthew and William spent nearly every weekend visiting Harold and Nancy while growing up and continued to visit as young adults. His grandson Eli lived with Harold for nearly two years following Nancy's death, and his granddaughter Claire and her boyfriend, Paul, lived with him for six months before his move to Lenbrook. The time he shared with his grandchildren was a deeply meaningful part of his life.

Nancy's unexpected death in August 2022 was a profound loss for Harold. In February 2025, he moved to Lenbrook in Atlanta, where he enjoyed a spectacular view of Buckhead from his 17th-floor apartment and reconnected with old friends and made many new friends.

Harold is survived by his three children, Sara Alexander Vinson (Randy), Jenny Alexander Rieck, and Andrew Alexander (Jeffrey Terrell), and his four grandchildren, Claire Vinson, Eli Vinson, Matthew Rieck, and William Rieck.

Harold will be deeply missed by his family, friends, former patients, and the many people whose lives he touched throughout his long and full life.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Harold's memory to make a donation to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Helping others was an important part of Harold’s life, and a gift to the Food Bank would be a meaningful way to remember him.