Josephine (Joie) Dasher Alexander, 9/18/1940 - 10/08/2024

Business owner, realtor, social worker, teacher, principal, Volusia County member, mom, grandmother and great-grandmother are some of the roles that Joie embraced enthusiastically throughout her life. Born and raised on a farm in Glennville, Georgia, Joie earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Georgia Southern University and an Educational Specialist degree from Nova University. After moving to Florida in the late 1970s, she held several positions with the Volusia County School District before retiring in 1999. Also, that year, the Florida Art Education Association named her "Elementary Principal of the Year." She later took on an elected official role, spending eight years as the at-large member of the Volusia County Council and two years as the District 3 councilmember. Joie also served as a member of the Florida Association of Counties Board of Directors.

Joie's extensive volunteer service included serving the board of director's or committees of the following: Crime Stoppers of NE Florida, Florida's Coast to Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties (S.H.I.E.L.D. Award recipient in 2022), Daytona State College Women's Center (Advisory Board), the United Way Women's Initiative, the Bethune-Cookman University Mary McLeod-Bethune Status committee and Keep Daytona Beach Beautiful. She was a member of several civic and service-oriented groups such as the Rotary Club of Daytona Beach, the NAACP West Volusia Chapter, the Volusia County Women's Network, the Civic League of the Halifax Area and the Halifax Health Associates. Many other local organizations also benefited greatly from her involvement.

Of Joie's service over her decades to Volusia County, she once said, "Volunteering is a greater gift for the giver than the receiver. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to be an active part in improving lives."

Although recently her health did not allow for continued involvement in the organizations that Joie cherished, she kept abreast of the activities in Volusia County through the paper and special friends.

Joie is survived by her daughter Andrea (James) Gleason, four grandchildren, Jared (Laura) Gleason; Thad (Allison) Gleason, Alexandra Mae and Tucker Gleason. Two great-granddaughters Charlotte Mae and Linden Jo. She is predeceased by her parents Thad and Myrtle Dasher and sisters Charlotte D. Howard and Betty D. Kicklighter.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Joie's name to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties at 101 North Woodland Blvd., Ste. 400, DeLand, FL 32720.

Joie will be buried in Glennville, Georgia on October 17, 2024 at 2:00pm. A Celebration of life will take place on November 4, 2024 from 11:30am to 1:30pm at The Rotary Club of Daytona Beach, Palmetto Club 1000 S. Beach Street, Daytona Beach.