Ranger has lost an icon, Laveda “Polly” Alexander passed away peacefully November 12, 2025 at the Ranger Care Center at the age of 92. Born in Ranger on May 14,1933, to Clarence and Mary Mitchell, Ms. Polly graduated from Ranger High School in 1950 and then attend Ranger Junior College.
She was musically talented and played in her parents Western Band when she was in high school. Her love of music and singing played an important role in her life. No matter where she lived, she was always a member of her church choir and always found a local choral group to sing with. While a member of the Abilene Classical chorus, she was able to travel to Rome and sing in the Vatican. Also, to New York to perform at Carnegie Hall. Throughout the years, she gave piano lessons to many of the children in Ranger. When you walked into her home, you were greeted with no less than three pianos. When the old Ranger High School building was being torn down in the late 70’s, she put a bid in for the high school’s Baldwin Grand piano which she had been able to play while she was in school and it soon became an institution in her home.
She married Joe Alexander, who was in the Air Force and lived in many places around the world with her four children. They lived in the Philippines, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Okinawa, Virginia and triumphally returned to Ranger. When Joe retired from the Air Force, the family moved back to Ranger. Joe continued to work at Ranger Junior College as the manager of the Student Union Building and Cafeteria. It was during this time that Ms. Polly became the most dedicated loyal fan of all the sports at Ranger College. She seldom missed a basketball, football or baseball game. She loved the students of Ranger College. She was also the number one supporter of the Ranger Fire Department. The song she wrote “Call For The Ranger Volunteer Fire Department” is almost legendary. Ms. Polly loved Ranger. No matter where she lived and the places her family called home for a short period of time, Home was always Ranger.
For about 20 years, Polly ran the Ranger Rodio Queen competition and was even named an Honorary Rodeo Queen herself. When, she realized the high school needed to be replaced, she ran and was elected to the school board and convinced them to build a new high school. Her family has lots of stories about her time as a school board member. When you drive by Ranger High, you can thank Ms. Polly for her efforts to get it built.
She is survived by brother, Dan Mitchel, sister, Mollie Pressler, her four children, Jennifer Alexander, Beverley Whitis, Michael Alexander and Richard Alexander, seven grandchildren and numerous great and great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father, Clarence Mitchell, mother, Mary Mitchell and sister, Ailene Barham.
Services will be held at the Edwards Funeral Home in Ranger, Wednesday November 19th at 11:00 am. Reverand Ronnie Guess will be presiding. Internment will immediately follow at Evergreen Cemetery.
