Portrait of Charles Leroy Alexander. IMB Photo

Charles Leroy Alexander, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Chile and Peru, died May 10, 2025. He was 91.  

Charles was born June 24, 1933, in Mayfield, Oklahoma, to the late Floyd and Mary Alexander. He graduated from Sweetwater (Oklahoma) High School and received the Bachelor of Arts from Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, Oklahoma, and the Bachelor of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.  

During his freshman year of college, he met Betty June Nabors. They were married on June 15, 1952. While finishing college, he held several part-time jobs and pastored a small church 75 miles from Shawnee. In 1954, they moved to Texas, where he worked full time for General Motors for several years. In 1959, he enrolled in seminary and accepted a call to pastor Lebanon Baptist in southern Oklahoma. Before graduation, he was called to pastor the First Baptist Church of Washington, Oklahoma, and commuted to seminary for the final summer session.  

 While seeking missionary appointment he wrote, “For quite some time we have been talking about the possibility that the Lord might be dealing with us through our experiences to lead us into foreign mission service. … We were extended a call to pastor … but accepting this challenging opportunity would have closed the door to foreign mission service. With a feeling of God’s leadership, I declined the call and was almost immediately impressed that God definitely wanted us on a foreign field.”  

In 1966, the International Mission Board appointed Charles and Betty missionaries to Chile, where they served for 26 years. They also served in Peru.  

Charles was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, Betty June Nabors Alexander.  

Donations in his memory may be made to the Lottie Moon Offering, IMB, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230, or online at Generosity Resource Center – IMB Generosity.