Alberta Rider

Alberta Rider passed to her eternal reward on Sunday morning, June 29, 2008 at the age of 82 years, 9 months, and 19 days.
Alberta was born in Cleveland County on Sept. 10, 1925, to Mildred (Coles) and Alvan Essary and was the second of six children.  She graduated from Norman High School in 1942. 
  Alberta wed Reverend Robert P. Rider on Dec. 30, 1942, at the home of Robert's Grandma Barnett.  Shortly after being married, they entered the evangelistic field and held their first revival in Grand Junction, Colo. Alberta complemented Robert's ministry through playing the accordion, piano, organ, guitar, and through singing and teaching God's word. They traveled throughout Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas and Arkansas on the evangelistic field for 18 months before taking the position of pastor at the church in Carter, Okla. Later, they resigned the church and went back on the evangelistic field. 
In 1949, they held a tent revival in Tecumseh which resulted in pioneering the Tecumseh Assembly of God church of which they were called to stay. While they served at the church, Alberta worked in various positions, including teaching Sunday School, leading Women's Ministries, coordinating Vacation Bible School, teaching numerous Bible classes and also serving in the position of church Secretary/Treasurer. In addition, Sister Rider served as the Women's Ministries Representative for Section 6 in the state of Oklahoma for the Assemblies of God for a period of time.   They served at the Tecumseh Assembly of God church for more than 51 years until they retired in January 2001 and later moved to the Pink area. 
Alberta had seven children, Barbara, Dan, Rosalie, Melody, Janet (deceased), Kari and Fari (twins) and was a devoted pastor's wife, homemaker, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was an excellent pianist and could play any song by ear, sewed many clothes for her children, baked many cookies for school and church events, and loved to spoil her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 
Alberta is preceded in death by her parents, Alvan and Mildred Essary; infant daughter, Janet Kay Rider; and infant granddaughter, Marlena Stacey
Alberta is survived by her spouse of 65 years, the Reverend Robert P. Rider of the home; daughter, Barbara A. Powers, and her husband, Doug of Tulsa; son, Dan R. Rider, and his wife, Jolene of Claremore; daughter, Rosalie G. Blocker of Shawnee; daughter, Melody J. Stacey, and her husband,  Marty of Tecumseh; daughter, Kari B. Parris, and her husband, Rodney of Sparks; daughter, Fari L. Rider, of Taipei, Taiwan; two brothers, Dale and James Essary, both of Norman; three sisters, May Era Gentry, Lou Ann Parson, and Esther Essary, all of Tecumseh; grandchildren,  Desiree Rider, Preston Rider, Sabrina Cordero, Jerry Davis, Melissa Cox, Melinda Johnson, Melanie Banuelos, Hannah Parris, Emma Parris, Preston Parris and Joel Parris; 13 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, in-laws, and brothers and sisters in Christ.
 The family will receive friends Thursday, July 3, and Friday, July 4, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Service will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Assembly of God in Tecumseh with the Rev. Frank Cargill, the Rev. Chad Brodrick, and the Rev. Otto Goins officiating. Burial will follow in Tecumseh Cemetery. 
 To share memories, or to sign the guest book on-line, go to www.cooperfuneral.com.