Alex was born and raised in Nanaimo, where his father, James Green, was a building contractor responsible for City Hall and many other civic structures. Alex learned the art of fixing things from James – a skill that stayed with him until his passing on his 83rd birthday on February 1, 2011, at Vancouver General Hospital.

Alex left the Island to pursue a degree in agriculture. Following graduation, he went to the United States and obtained his MSc in agriculture from Iowa State in 1952. While there, he travelled in the US and Mexico and developed a love of travelling.

He returned to Canada and joined Canada Agriculture as a pedologist, conducting soil research in BC and the Yukon, and as an assistant soil surveyor in the provincial soil survey under C.C. Kelley in Kelowna. He then joined the federal soil survey under Laurie Farstad (MSc, Agriculture) at UBC. In the 60s, Alex was involved in the Canada Land Inventory program.

His work fulfilled his love of travel, taking  him across the Interior and to the Caribbean.  He and his wife, Betty, lived in Trinidad, under secondment to the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture, and then in Vieux Fort for the soil survey of St. Lucia. From 1978 to 1985, he coordinated the soil survey program for the Tanzania Wheat Farm project in East Africa  for the Canadian International Development Agency – a position that allowed him to travel through Europe in his comings and goings from Vancouver to Africa.

When in Vancouver, he served as an adjunct professor of soil sciences at UBC, until retiring in 1991. In retirement, he consulted on soil issues and continued his passion for organic gardening. He also continued the art of fixing things, in his house and also in his garden,  where he spent much of his time.

Alex is survived by his wife of 51 years, Betty, children Peter (Yoonhi), David (Sandra), Ian (Daniela), and Martha Molls (Zakary), and grandchildren Brandon, Serena, Luiza, Nicolas, Bianca, Ohana, Jasper, and Charles.