Merna (Peg) Rider, 90, passed away September 4, 2019 in Wichita, KS. She was born September 7, 1928 in Hastings, NE to Chester A. and Addie M. (Dana) Taylor. Her parents farmed near Deweese, NE and she graduated from Nelson High School in 1946. After graduation, she went to Illinois to take care of her grandparents before going to Nebraska Wesleyan in January 1947. She met her husband to be, Stanley Rider in the fall of 1947 at a new student orientation picnic. They were married on September 4, 1949.
Merna began working while Stanley finished his senior year while serving at Valparaiso United Methodist Church. After graduation from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1950, they moved to Dallas, TX and they both worked while Stanley attended seminary at Perkins School of Theology at SMU.
After graduating from SMU in June 1953, they returned to Nebraska where they served Methodist Churches in Morrill (4 yrs), Sutton (10 yrs), Ogallala (7 yrs) Holdrege (4 yrs), Nebraska City (3 yrs), Sidney (8 yrs) and Geneva (4 yrs) before retiring from ministry in June 1994.
Merna was very active in various church organizations during those years and was a member of P.E.O. and Eastern Star.
Family members include her daughter Cynthia (Ron) Lytle, Andover, KS; son Steven (Lora) Rider, Corinth, TX; grandchildren Brian and Kevin Lytle, Dana Rider, Melissa Rider Zackowski, and Vanessa Rider Morrell; great-grandchildren Gunnar, Henrick, Trevor, Samantha, and Christian. Preceded in death by her parents, husband Rev. Stanley Rider.
Funeral Service: 10:00 a.m. Monday (9-9-19) Saint Paul United Methodist Church, 1144 M Street. Interment will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday (9-10-19) Mt. Hope Cemetery, Imperial, NE.
Visitation beginning noon Sunday until 8:00 p.m at Roper and Sons, 4300 ‘O’ Street.
Memorials to the churches they have served.