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OBITUARY: J.R. ‘Pete’ Crider, 99, of Marble Falls dies April 22, 2014

J.R. “Pete” Crider of Marble Falls passed away April 22, 2014. Pete was born to Rosa (Gibson) and Joseph P. Crider on Dec. 16, 1914, in a house in what is now Horseshoe Bay and grew up in the Marble Falls area. This was his home for 99 years.

He married Agnes Marie Michalak on June 29, 1941, in Brenham, Texas. She preceded him in death.

He worked for Chester Barnett in car sales and then became the area’s General Electric dealer, working with Richard Giesecke.

He held many different volunteer positions in the community including fire chief of the Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department, an ambulance driver, driving band instruments to out-of-town football games and other high school booster club/volunteer jobs. Going to sporting events meant working in the concession stand. His pickup carried logs and brush to many of the Marble Falls High School pep rally bonfires prior to the big homecoming game. He was among the first few to introduce and participate in recreational boating and water skiing on Lake Marble Falls in the late 1950s-60s. He taught many local young people, along with his own children, to ski on Lake Marble Falls.

After retirement, he spent many happy days traveling with wife, Agnes. Adventures included Texas travel-trailer trips and touring the United States, Europe, Mexico and South America.

Pete enjoyed tinkering in his shop and could repair just about anything or create a new way to make it work. He enjoyed playing dominoes and cards with friends. Pete loved fishing and hosted many fish fry dinners for family and friends. Hunting was also a big part of his life. He killed his last buck at age 90.

The family has a photo of him as a young man standing on the original Marble Falls wooden bridge bridge, which washed out in the flood of 1937. From then on, until the another bridge was built, travel across the river was by ferry. He enjoyed watching the weekly progress made on the newest bridges.

He was “Granddaddy” to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom he dearly loved.

Agnes and Pete celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2011 with a party at Gateway Gardens Assisted Living in Marble Falls, where they lived since 2005. Included in the momentous occasion was an endowment set up at Highland Lakes Legacy Fund as a scholarship to be presented to a Marble Falls High School senior each year in their name.

Pete’s wife, Agnes, passed away in January 2013. Sisters Ophelia, Hun, Angeline and Sarah and brothers Ray and Otto preceded him in death.

Surviving family includes daughter Kay Berger and husband Billy Joe of Blanco; son, Jerry Crider of Corpus Christi; daughter Nancy Pettersen and husband Pete of Spring Branch; grandchildren, Beth McManus, Bill, Michael and Margaret Berger, Stacy Richards and Jennifer Miskovsky; great-grandchildren, Tim McManus, Drew Westervelt and Sarah and Ella Miskovsky; and sister Lucille Newman of Fredericksburg. He also had many nieces and nephews, who thought he was very special.

He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends. Marble Falls is a better community because of the Criders. Agnes and Pete will be remembered most kindly and with great respect.

A funeral service is April 28 with a eulogy offered by the Rev. Max Copeland. Interment will follow at Marble Falls City Cemetery.

The family would like to express our sincere appreciation for the loving care and kindness Pete received from the staff at Gateway Gardens Assisted Living in Marble Falls with special thanks to Mary Reed and family friend and caregiver, Rosie Franco. The family is also grateful to Seton Hospice for the staff’s immense kindness, respect and assistance.

Memorial contributions may be made to Highland Lakes Legacy Fund for the “Crider Family Scholarship Fund.”

Arrangements by Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 1805 U.S. 281 North in Marble Falls, (830) 693-4373.