John Stuart Alexander Jr.

John Stuart Alexander Jr., 77, passed away unexpectedly Sunday at his winter home in Naples, Fla., with his loving wife, Leslie Gercken Alexander, by his side.

Born on Aug. 7, 1937, in Lenoir, N.C., he was the son of Evelyn Hyatt Alexander and the late John Stuart Alexander Sr.

Mr. Alexander maintained his primary residence in Prospect, Butler County, since the late 1970s.

He was a steel industrialist, entrepreneur and visionary. His core expertise was the slag and scrap reclamation business that serviced the steel industry. Mr. Alexander's 60-year career in the steel processing and reclamation industry focused on identifying emerging trends in steel and foundry production as well as recycling waste materials.

His uncanny vision enabled him to predict a fundamental change in the steel industry that led to the creation of Alexander Mill Services, a miniconglomerate that included highly successful companies headquartered in Harmony, Butler County. Alexander Mill Services served many of the top names in high-tech steel production in the U.S. and Europe. His entrepreneurial spirit and vision led him to many other areas such as plastics, retail clothing, cabinetry and supermarkets.

One of his fondest endeavors involved Prospect Aviation. Mr. Alexander, an accomplished pilot, could often be found behind “the stick” of one of Prospect Aviation's planes.

In 1994, Mr. Alexander was named a finalist for the Pittsburgh/Western Pennsylvania Entrepreneur of the Year award. Known to his friends simply as “Big John,” Mr. Alexander's reputation for honesty, fairness, kindness and uncompromising highest quality work, coupled with humorous recollections of his boyhood in North Carolina, produced many enduring friendships all over the world.

In addition to his wife and mother, Mr. Alexander is survived by his five children, John S. Alexander III and his wife, Bobi-Jean, of Cranberry Township, Jeanette Weyman and her husband, Dennis, of Harmony, Joan Alexander of Harrisburg and Megan and Mollie Alexander, both of Prospect; his six grandchildren, Josh, Annie, Hannah, Madison, Allison and Ayla; his two brothers, Charles Alexander and his wife, Billy Sue, of South Carolina and Robert Alexander and his wife, Janet, of Florida; and his two sisters, Frances Alexander and Elizabeth Alexander and her husband, Richard, of Harrisburg.

Alexander — The Alexander family will welcome friends of John Stuart Alexander Jr., who passed away Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. until the time of a funeral service at 5 p.m. Saturday at theBoylan Funeral Home, 324 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople, with the Rev. Dr. John K. Jefferis officiating.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in support of Mr. Alexander to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, P.O. Box 89367, Tampa, FL 33689 or at www.specialops.org, or to The Salvation Army at donate.salvationarmyusa.org.Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the Alexander family at www.boylanfuneralhome.com.