Col. Richard W. Rider, Usaf (Ret.)

Richard W. Rider passed away Wednesday, October 23, 2002 in Warner Robins. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, October 26 at 11:00 am at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. A reception will be held in the church hall after the memorial service. Interment will be held on Monday, October 28 at 11:30 am in Andersonville National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 336 Carl Vinson Parkway, Warner Robins, GA, 31088.

Colonel Rider was born on January 25, 1945 in Alexandria, Virginia and grew up in Ballston Spa, NY. He graduated from Ballston Spa High School and went to Syracuse where he earned a BS and an MS in Forestry. Colonel Rider’s Air Force assignments included Japan, two tours in Vietnam (ending as an advisor to the Vietnamese Army Corps of Engineers), Kelly AFB, TX and Lakenheath, England.

He joined the Air Force Reserve in 1980. In 1985 he was chosen as the first commander of the 933rd CES at Griffiss AFB, NY. He returned to active duty in 1993 to serve as Chief of Readiness at Headquarters AFRC. He retired from the Air Force in 1998 after nearly 32 years of service to his country.

While in the USAF Reserves, Colonel Rider worked for the Rider Oil Company in upstate New York. He was also an elected Councilman to the town of Ballston, NY from 1981 to 1993. Colonel Rider was presently the chairman of Rebuilding Together with Christmas in April and the Head Trustee of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, where he was a member.

His father, Paul L. Rider; his wife, Flora Barker Rider; and a son, Richard-Paul Roy Rider, all survive Colonel Rider.

McCullough Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.


Funeral Home:
McCullough Funeral Home
417 S. Houston Lake Road
Warner Robins, GA
US 31088