Ernest H. Alter, 77, of Victory Highway, North Smithfield, died Monday, March 2, 2015, at the Greenville Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Greenville.
Ernest was the devoted son of the late Dr. Nicholas Alter and Eleanor Reed Alter. He was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey but moved with his family to North Smithfield in 1956 when his father was appointed Director of Medical Education at the former Woonsocket Hospital now known as Landmark Medical.
He received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Washington and Lee University in 1959. He pursued graduate studies at Cornell University and earned certificates from the New York Institute of Finance as well as the New York Bond School. Following college he served as a First lieutenant administrative officer in the U.S. Army.
Mr. Alter worked in the financial services industry for many years for firms such as Bache & Company, Dean Witter & Company, Shearson Lehman and Phoenix Home Life/Phoenix Equity Planning.
An involved citizen and an outspoken advocate for taxpayers and the elderly for many years, Ernie was recently elected to the North Smithfield Town Council in November, 2014. He was an active parishioner of St. James Episcopal Church in Woonsocket.
He leaves a brother, Nicholas A. Alter of Arroyo Grande, Calif., and a sister, Eleanor Haas of New York, New York.
Burial will be private but a service will be held at St. James Episcopal Church at a date to be announced later.