Charles Reid Alexander, age 66, died on November 18, 2015 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He was born May 27, 1949 in New Orleans to Kathleen and Elliot Alexander.

Memorial service plans for January are pending and are being handled by Renner-Wikoff Chapel. However, the family will accept visitors at a Celebration of Life on December 12 from 4:00- 7:00 PM at Renner- Wikoff Chapel, 1900 S Philo Road in Urbana.

Following graduation from high school in Pompano Beach, Florida he attended the University of Illinois completing a Bachelor of Music (1971) and Masters of Music (1972) in piano performance. After graduation from the University of Illinois he accepted a position at Eastern Illinois University (1973-74). During his graduate studies at the University of Illinois he met his future wife and life long musical partner, Jo Ellen DeVilbiss. They were married in 1974 in Vermillion, South Dakota. They accepted positions at Lawrence University where he served on the piano faculty from 1974-79.

He returned to The University of Illinois in 1979 as Assistant Professor in the School of Music and has served since that time on the faculty of the piano pedagogy division. During his 36 years at the University of Illinois he was an inspiring teacher and mentor to hundreds of students and served on numerous faculty committees including the University Senate. Professor Alexander also served as advisor to dozens of doctoral candidates. Earlier in his career, the University of Illinois honored Professor Alexander as a faculty recipient of a campus award for teaching excellence, recognizing his teaching versatility with pianist of all ages. In 1992 his was promoted to full professor. He received an Ed.D from Vanderbilt University in 1997. During the 1999-2000 academic year he served as Professor of Piano and Director of Piano pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma-Norman.

An active performer throughout his life he was internationally known as an accomplished pianist in both solo and collaborative arenas. A finalist in the first Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, his credits include recitals, presentations, and master classes in over 40 states and Canadian provinces and in several countries abroad. Most recently he performed in March, 2015 with his wife and brother in Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. In April 2015 he performed at the prestigious IBK Chamber Hall at Seoul Arts Center in South Korea.

He was author and co-author of numerous publications in the field of piano pedagogy. His research in the area of scholarship offerings in community music schools was a significant contribution to the field of community arts education.

His interests extended beyond the professional realm. An avid fan of the Fighting Illini, he was member of the Block I as an undergraduate and a season ticket holder for 36 years. He was a Friend of the Arts of Sigma Alpha Iota, international music fraternity; MTNA and Illinois State Music Teachers Association where he served on the state Board of Directors; Grace Lutheran Church, and a former member of the Champaign Lion's Club.

Surviving are: wife, Jo Ellen DeVilbiss; sons, Marc Ryan Alexander (Champaign); Erik Benjamin Alexander (Carrie), (Highland, Il.); two grandsons, Elliot Raymond and Evan Francis Alexander (Highland, Il); sister, Jane Penick (Frisco, Texas); brother, John Allen Alexander (Laguna Beach, CA); two nephews and one niece, Rusty Penick, Michael Penick and Kathleen Thonen and 4 great nephews and nieces.

Memorial contributions may be sent to The Conservatory of Central Illinois, 100 N. Chestnut Suite 310, Champaign, Il: The Kathleen and Elliot Alexander Memorial Scholarship Pacific Chorale, 3303 Harbor Blvd Suite E5, Costas Mesa, CA, 92626 or The Ray DeVilbiss Band Scholarship care of University South Dakota Foundation, P.O. Box 5555, Vermillion, South Dakota, 57069.