Ronald H. Rider, Jr., 88, of North Manchester, Indiana, died at 10:55 am, September 2, 2017 at Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester, Indiana. He was born May 1, 1929 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to Ronald H, Sr., and Ethel L. (Dennin) Rider.
Ronald was a Corporal in the US Army Air Corp and the US Air Force post WWII from 1946-1949. He served as radar/radio operator cryptoanalyst as part of the defense early warning network in northern Alaska. While he was in Alaska he played basketball against the Harlem Globetrotters and also met Olympian Jesse Owens. He married Faith Z. Reynolds at the Wabash Street Methodist Church on May 10, 1952. He retired from Ellison Bakery in Fort Wayne, where he was the Archway Cookie distributor. Ronald was a member of the Wabash Presbyterian Church and the Wabash American Legion. He loved golfing, showing horses in his youth, hunting, softball and table tennis, was an avid IU basketball fan, and was also an avid reader especially of Max Lucado books. Ronald also enjoyed spending time with his family. Ronald received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of 80. He and Faith lived in Wabash since 2006, coming from Fort Wayne, where they lived for 22 years.
He is survived by his wife, Faith Z. Rider of North Manchester, five children, Barry L. (Donna) Rider of Muncie, Indiana, Sharon L. Brockhaus of Indianapolis, Indiana, Cynthia L. (Philip) Swihart of Wabash, Brett L. (Annie) Rider of Boerne, Texas, and Linda L. (Steven) Dummitt of Noblesville, Indiana, nine grandchildren; Katie (Chris) Marks of Franklin, Indiana, Brian (Natalie) Swihart of Wabash, Kristi (Levi) Tompkins of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, Joshua (Erin) Rider, Jason Rider, and Ethan (Mandy) Rider, all of San Antonio, Texas, Michael (Tami) Dummitt of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Kari Doty of Sheridan, Indiana, and Jacob Dummitt of Louisville, Kentucky, nine great-grandchildren; Brinlei Swihart, Breslyn Swihart, and Landan Johnson, all of Wabash, Luke Tompkins, of Berkeley Springs, Brett Matthew, Brody, Scarlet, and Christopher Rider, all of San Antonio, and Erik Dummitt of Whiteman Air Force Base, and sister-in-law, Darlene Rider, of Wabash. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Richard Rider, sister, Jeanne Smead, and grandson, Timothy Samuel Swihart.
Funeral services will be 10:00 am, Thursday, September 7, 2017 at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash, with Rev. Jonathan Cornell officiating. Burial will be in Falls Cemetery, Wabash. Friends may call 4:00 – 8:00 pm, Wednesday at the funeral home.
Preferred memorial is American Cancer Society or Wabash Presbyterian Church.
The memorial guest book for Ronald may be signed at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.