Patron of swans at Manito dies

Of Helen South Alexander’s many gifts to Spokane, the swans of Manito Park are perhaps her most manifest legacy.

They were given to the city in 1968 by her late husband, the longtime Spokane civic leader Philip Alexander. But it was Helen who became the ardent supporter of the graceful white birds, remaining a lifelong patron of a group called Manito Park Swans.

In fact, two of the original cygnets that swam at the pond were named in the couple’s honor: Philip of Macedon and Helen of Troy.

In many ways, Helen South Alexander was a lot like the swans she loved: A woman of style and elegance, she walked through life with a majestic air, said those who knew her. She beautified her surroundings not only through her work as an interior designer, but also as a patron of the arts.

A longtime Spokane resident, Alexander died last Friday. She never disclosed her age and was adamant before her death that it didn’t appear in her obituary.

Alexander was married to two prominent men in the community. The Nebraska native’s first husband was Fremont L. South, branch manager of the Sun Life Assurance Co. When she remarried about a year after South’s death in 1972, she became the wife of Philip W. Alexander, park board member and retired general manager of the Bon Marche.

Helen South Alexander was best known for her artistry in interior design and the way she promoted the arts in Spokane, said her niece, Laura Lee Schutz.

She decorated people’s homes, bank lobbies and other spaces in Spokane because of her eye for detail and knack for design. During World War II, she decorated the USO quarters in the Old American Legion Building by mixing paint in five-gallon garbage containers. In October 1961, the community was abuzz about her work after she decorated the Davenport Hotel for the annual Champagne Ball.

Visitors to her Kirkland Cutter home on the lower South Hill marveled at its elegance. During a historic tour of her home in 1976, many oohed and ahed over the pink ceramic bathtub, the abundant antiques and the 18th century paintings that included a Montague Dawson painting of a ship called “The Red Jacket.” Outside the house with sweeping views of the city, Alexander grew roses, lilacs and other flowers.

“She had a classic style, top-notch and first-rate,” described Schutz, who grew up in Spokane but now lives in the Chicago area. “Her home was perfect; every single detail was attended to.”

As a little girl attending Hutton Elementary on the South Hill, Schutz often accompanied her aunt to the tea room of the old Crescent Court, where she would shock the older woman by ordering a fried egg sandwich and a slice of pumpkin pie.

Known for her prim and proper manners, which she wanted to pass along to her nieces and nephews, Alexander was appalled at the way Schutz was such a tomboy, the niece recalled with a laugh. So she sent Schutz to a “charm school” in downtown Spokane in order for her to learn how to “walk and sit properly,” she recalled.

Alexander graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., where she was also a member of several sororities. She did post-graduate work at the Art Institute of Chicago and the School of Interior Design. In an obituary that she wrote before her death, she mentioned her experience under the tutelage of several known artists including Birger Sandzen and Lyman Byxbe.

In addition to her artistry, she also will be remembered for her community service. In 1968, Alexander was a founding member of Wampum, an organization that benefited the arts. She was a member of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and was a supporter of numerous organizations including the Spokane Symphony, the Daughters of the Nile and Friends of Manito. A lobby and gallery at the Museum of Arts and Culture were named in her honor.

“She did her work in a quiet way without expecting accolades, she was never a braggart,” said Schutz. “She used her assets to further mankind.”

And the swans at the Manito Park pond were part of improving the world, said Schutz. “They were her pride and joy.”

Alexander is survived by her brother, Maage LaCounte of Spokane; her sister, Deletta Zink of Fresno, Calif; four stepchildren; and six nephews and nieces. Her second husband, Philip Alexander, preceded her in death in 1996.

A memorial service will be held Friday.