Bradley Joseph Rider – August 3, 1942 – July 12, 2016
Bradley Joseph Rider, 73, of Grandview, WA, passed away on July 12, 2016 3:15 pm at Yakima Regional Medical Center.
Bradley, son of Joe and Thyra Rider was born in Seattle on August 3rd 1942. The family, Joe (father), Thyra (mother), Bradley and Barbara (sister) farmed mint, asparagus, and grapes before his father’s retirement to the family home in Grandview. After graduation, with the Grandview class of 1960, he studied Ag Science at YVCC but switched to a brand new field of Computing soon after. He met his future wife at a Youth for Christ outing at the Yakima skating rink and they married in January of 1965. He was drafted to the Army in 1966 and the couple moved to the Presidio Army Post in San Francisco. Because of his background with computers, the Army sent him to Germany and France instead of Vietnam, separating him from his family a few months before his first child Shirley was born.
After returning from his Army tour of duty, the young family moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon, where David was born. Work in computer programming then took them to the Seattle area, where Kate was born and later to northeast Ohio before returning to Grandview, WA to take ownership of the True Value Hardware store in 1989.
His family and friends remember his ability to tell stories and jokes at a moment’s notice. He regularly attended Toastmasters’ meetings and often referenced movie quotes in conversation. Brad was a member of the Grandview Rotary club and he served on the Grandview Chamber of Commerce. He also had a passion for photography, fishing, spontaneous road trips, cars of all types, visiting family and enjoyed “getting lost” in a new city to familiarize himself with a new area.
Most of all, he dearly loved his family and the Lord our God. He served in one capacity or another in the churches he attended, most recently as the sound person at Bethany in Grandview. He enjoyed the sound of singers harmonizing praise to God. As his health would allow, he enjoyed the fellowship of the Church of Christ in Grandview.
Bradley is survived by his wife Beverly Rider (Bell), children Shirley Comstock (husband Matthew, their children Joseph, Jeffrey, Emily), David Rider (son Jacob Dawson) and Kate Rider. Brad is also survived by brothers and sisters: Robert (wife Verna) Boyle, Joan Miller, Linda Drysdale (husband Ray), Jimmy Boyle (wife Linda), Kevin Leonard, Kathleen McClarin as well as their children and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister Barbara Newlands and brother, John Boyle, as well as his parents: Joe and Thyra Rider.
A memorial service will be held at 11am on Saturday, July 23rd at Bethany Community Church 201 Birch Ave Grandview, WA 98930. Memorial contributions may be made to Union Gospel Mission in memory of Bradley Rider P.O. Box 656 Yakima, WA. 98907. You may leave a message for the family at www.Prosserfuneralhome.com