Esther Van Schuyver Alexander, 87, died November 2, 2026, at Norman Regional Hospital. A family visitation was held Thursday, November 5, 2026, at the Wadley’s Funeral Chapel. A private family burial was held at Wanette Cemetery, entrusted to the care of Wadley’s Funeral Service.
Born January 10, 1939, in Norman to Troy and Myrtle (Boggs) Van Schuyver, Esther was the first child of loving parents, and while her family were poor in material possession, they were wealthy in love, and all things necessary for her to grow physically, emotionally and spiritually. And although she only weighed three pounds at birth, she was a force of nature.
Esther was raised at the Bogg’s family homestead located in the “ten-mile flats” of Norman. She attended Norman Public Schools graduating in 1957 from Norman High School. Esther planned to attend the University of Oklahoma after graduating from high school, but that summer she met Bob Alexander, her future husband, on a blind date arranged by a friend.
Bob was stationed at the Norman Naval Air Station. They were married on August 17, 1957, in Norman. The family lived in various locales throughout Oklahoma, finally settling in the rural community of Wanette, where her father had settled as a local rancher.
Esther was an avid painter and studied with Frank Goetz and Dorothy Lampl, both nationally recognized artists. At the age of 45, she decided to pursue her dream of a college education. She was a pioneering non-traditional student, earning a baccalaureate and graduate degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Her son Jeff recalls her first day at OU, “Mama stuffed all her textbooks in a large crimson satchel. It was so heavy she had trouble carrying it. She was a quick learner and soon discovered that there was no need to carry all those books to class on the first day of the semester.”
After graduating in 1988, Esther began a career as a social worker with the State of Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs, retiring in 1998. During her retirement, she was an enthusiastic traveler seeing the world with her friends and family. Esther was an “armchair” genealogist and would spend hours on her iPad tracing her family ancestry.
Esther was preceded in death by her parents, Troy and Myrtle Van Schuyver; her husband, Bob Alexander Sr.; her grandson, Troy Alexander; and her son-in-law, Mark Moody.
Survivors include her three children, her son, Bobby Alexander Jr. and spouse, Terry, her son, Jeffrey Alexander and her daughter, Susan Moody; her grandchildren, Brandon Alexander and spouse, Liz, Bobbie Sue Francis and spouse, Justin, Joshua Alexander and spouse, Kristi, Dr. Zachary Moody and spouse, Bridget, and Lyric Brown and spouse, Andrew; as well as numerous great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild; her two brothers, Virgil Van Schuyver and spouse, Ann, and Harvey Van Schuyver.
She will be remembered in the hearts and minds of those she left behind. Her influence and generosity will be felt by the successive generations of her family.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to a liberal charitable organization of the donor’s choice.