Robert W. “Red” Rider was born October 28, 1922 in Sacramento, California. His passing on July 13, 2018 was a shock to all.
Red lived a full life. Learning to fly in 1938, he became a flight instructor at Mesa Del Rey in the military, and then a crop duster for 42 years. He flew for Dusty Huddleston, Atwood Crop Dusters, Henry Crop Dusters, Greenbelt and Soilserv, Red was one of the founding pilots instrumental in the formation of Agriculture Air application in Monterey County. In 2015 the FAA awarded Red the distinguished Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.
Red was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence William Rider and Florence Fay Files; his siblings, Lawrence Richard and Constance Azalea Bardakas; his grandson, Adam Rider, his daughter-in-law, Pat Rider and his first wife, the mother of his children, Irene Sala Rider.
Red and Irene had two children. Red leaves behind a sister, Susan Gallion; his son, Chris Rider (Patti) and his daughter, Janelle; and son-in-law Chris Garnett. His grandchildren include Grant (Aimee) and Greg (Gigi) Garnett of Salinas, Maci and Eric Balken of Chico, and Joseph and Sarah Rider of Dairyville, and a special niece, Karen Fanoe. Red had six great-grandchildren: Riley Garnett, Zinnia and Jaxon Balken, Holiday, Hero and Lula Rider, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and a long list of others who loved him through-out his life.
Red loved his country, the sound and smell of a rotary engine, pineapple upside-down cakes, anything raspberry, lots of onions, any view of Mount Shasta, the weather of the day, the History channel, reading, maintaining his strawberry plants, flying, whittling, sketching, helping to restore antique aircraft with Gordon Plaskett and just puttering around the house. He was especially proud of his ability to recall with accuracy any prior event or family history.
As per Red’s request, he will be at his final resting place with his family in Greenfield, California. He will be sharing a glass of wine with one of his favorite persons of all time, his father-in-law Giuseppe “Joe” Sala.
A graveside memorial will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church Cemetery in Greenfield, CA. on August 11, 2018 at 1pm.
In lieu of flowers you can make a memorial donation to the Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum, Salinas Valley Aviation, P.O. Box 644, King City, CA 93930.
Some special thanks from his family goes out to Wayne Handley, Mark Plaskett, Stan Dedini, the California State Honor Guard Team-7 and all of those that made his memorial possible and endearing.
