Melvin Gerald Rider, 87, died May 16, 2019

Melvin Gerald “Jerry” Rider was born on May 6, 1932, in Dayton, Kentucky. After graduating high school, he served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He met Ruth Jean Peace a few years later, and they married on July 19, 1957. They went on to have two daughters, Linda and Patricia.

Jerry and Ruth were very serious about their breakfasts at Cracker Barrel and would arrive before the restaurant opened so they could be sure to be seated at “their” table. Jerry also enjoyed fishing on the river and watching his Westerns. He had quite a collection of Louis L’Amour books and passed a lot of time reading and re-reading his favorite ones. He enjoyed cooking for his grandchildren — potato salad, ham and beans, and applesauce cake — and was known to wake them up early when they were young so they could go for a morning swim or feed ducks at the lake. He sang “The Marines’ Hymn” so often that his grandchildren knew all the words at a very young age, but he also liked listening to Elvis and Yanni.   

Jerry and Ruth moved to Llano in 1998, having lived previously in Kentucky and Odessa, Texas. Jerry passed away on May 16, 2019. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Goebel Rider and Leora Blair Rider, and his wife, Ruth. He leaves behind his two daughters, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements made under the direction of Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Home, 307 E. Sandstone in Llano, (325) 247-4300. Condolences may be emailed to whhfuneral1@verizon.net.