FFWPU UK: In Loving Memory of Alexander Frederick Herzer

Our beloved brother Alec ascended to the spiritual world on Christmas day 2025, please below a eulogy of his life and see how you can support his family in this time…

Alec was born during the second world war and grew up with his parents in Earls Court in London. His father was a policeman in Soho and his mother a seamstress for wealthy families. During the air raids in the wartime he remembers hiding under the kitchen table with his mother.

Alec was very keen on cycling and would regularly cycle down to Brighton. His passions were for classical music (especially organ music), poetry and calligraphy at which he became very proficient. In later years David Hanna helped him to have his thought-provoking poetry published in 3 volumes.

He worked for a time with the Royal Geographic Society preparing maps including one of Mount Everest. At about 19 he joined the Army and was stationed in ……. He was discharged from the Army in Cyprus and instead of flying home he cycled all the way up through Italy, over the Alps and on to London.

Four of us sisters (June, Marion, Eve and Patricia) first met Alec who collected the entrance fees from people attending various talks at a club in Notting Hill, London. Alec noticed that we always attended the talks on more spiritual topics, so one day he asked us if we belonged to any particular organisation. He was invited to listen to lectures about a new revelation from Korea.

Arriving at our Unification Church centre, 17 Emperor’s Gate, South Kensington must have been rather intimidating for him to be visiting four young ladies, who later became the sisters he never had. Alec always arrived late for the Divine Principle lectures, so one day we asked him if there was a reason for that. He sheepishly replied that he didn’t much like the singing so he would wait until we stopped. He later really enjoyed the singing and would arrive in a flurry with his bicycle and clips around his trouser legs.

We had witnessed to many very lovely young British people but none joined. Then Marion received spiritually that English people would join after four people from the Commonwealth had first joined. The privilege of being the first to join in Britain had first to go to Commonwealth citizens. After Bob Duffy from Canada had joined, Alec was the first English person to promise to come and hear the DP teaching. He was the first English person to accept the Divine Principle and understand the Mission of True Parents but he wasn’t the first to move into the Centre, that was Ian Alexander

Alec had a very sophisticated and glamorous girl friend who delayed him joining. But Alec must have realised that she was also very self-centred so was able to separate and join. She was the very opposite of his future wife Elisabeth who was completely unselfish and very giving.

Soon afterwards Alec ‘s father Fred moved in to live with us in the big house we had rented next to Thornton Heath Common. Fred was a delightful person, always cheerful, with a ready quip or joke to share with us. We shared many humorous moments with him and Alec who also had a keen sense of humour.

At that time the National Leaders chose and matched the couples to be blessed in Korea in 1970, with the proviso of awaiting True Father’s approval of the matches when they arrived in Korea. Paul Werner recommended his sister Elisabeth to be matched to Alec. Father was very proud of their match because Elisabeth couldn’t speak English, so they couldn’t communicate properly but had still trusted the choice made for them. Father would smile every time he passed Elisabeth and saw her studying English, and he used to praise their couple for their faithfulness. Alec and Elisabeth were Blessed as part of the 777 Couple Blessing on 21st October 1970.

Around 1975 Alec was living in our training centre, Rowlane Farmhouse in Reading and working in the publications department producing witnessing material and a newspaper. Later Alec and Elisabeth moved

into Dorney Cottage near Windsor where their son Une was born, much to their delight. At that time Alec was working with others to produce many thousands of candles to be sold by our fundraising teams around the country.

He was then called to New York to help set up our “News of The World” newspaper, where he worked for four years as a draft layout artist. He returned to the UK and was first a missionary in Cardiff and Bristol, followed by a move up to the church’s printing works in Mansfield.

He and Elisabeth then moved back to London and were living in our HQ Lancaster Gate where he worked in the publications department. He also did several other missions in London with the jewellery business and Saeilo, our machine tool company. For a short period Alec was the National Leader of the British Unification Church.

For a while He was a pioneer in Aberdeen, before taking up the role of manager of Cleeve House training centre. His last mission was as manager of Livingstone House training centre in London where they worked diligently for many years and where Alec set up his cartography business “Venture Graphics” through which he produced cartography for many of the West End art galleries and also sold marble vases.

Alec was a jovial and very energetic person, who walked fast and drove his car fast, the latter became a point of concern to others in his advancing years. Alec was very sincere in his life of faith and never stopped witnessing. They together led a very rich and exciting life.

In his latter years Alec would regularly walk with other brothers in the woods around Chislehurst both in the hot summer and snowy winter days. His last years were spent being well looked after in two care homes nearby.

Alec lived a beautiful life that touched and had an impact on many of our members. If you would like to support with his funeral and memorial expenses please see the Gofundme page created by his family below. All support is appreciated.

Message from Alec’s Family:

On Christmas Day, our beloved father, Alexander Frederick Herzer, passed away after a long and courageous battle with dementia. Losing him has been especially heartbreaking for our three children, who adored their Grandpa. While our family is deeply saddened, we also find comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace after watching this illness slowly take pieces of him over time.

Alexander was a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grandfather to three grandchildren. He meant so much to all of us, and we want to honour his life with a memorial that reflects the love and respect he deserves, allowing us to say our final goodbyes properly.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will go directly toward funeral and memorial expenses. If you are unable to donate, we kindly ask that you share this page and keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.

Details regarding the funeral and memorial service will be announced in the new year.

We are profoundly grateful for your kindness, love, and support during this difficult time. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Q Donate • Fundraise • Giving Funds ••w About • Sign in Start a GoFundMe

Alexander Frederick Herzer

3~ £3,164 raised of10K 55 donations

Michael Balcomb g £100-3 d

SJ and Abi Choi g £100• 4 d

Naruko O’Connell g 29th Jul 1937 - 25th December 2025 £50· 8 hrs

fa- UneHerzer Jeffrey Bateman £50- l d

@ Donation protected Masakazu Hayashi g £40 ,ld

On Christmas Day, our beloved father, Alexander Frederick Herzer, passed away after a long and courageous battle with dementia. Losing him has been especially heartbreaking See all * Seetop for our th ree children, who adored their Grandpa. While our family is deeply saddened, we also find comfort in knowing t hat he is finally at peace after watching this illness slowly take pieces of him over time.

Alexander was a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grandfather to three grandchildren. He meant so much to all of us, and w e want to honour his life with a memorial that reflects the love and respect he deserves, allowing us to say our final goodbyes properly.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will go directly towa rd f uneral and memorial expenses. If you are unable to donate, we kindly ask that you share this page and keep our fa mily in your t houghts and p rayers.

Details regarding the funeral and memorial service will be announced in the new year.

We are profoundly grateful for your kindness, love, and support du ri ng t his difficult t ime. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

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Created December 30th, 2025 • Funerals & Memorials

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