Robert ‘Bob’ Farrington Rider, 83

Robert “Bob” Farrington Rider, 83, of Rehoboth Beach, Del., passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Monday, June 4, 2012, at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Del.

Born Oct. 14, 1928, in Glens Falls, N.Y., Rider graduated from Glens Falls High School in 1946. He studied engineering at Clarkson College in Potsdam, N.Y., and business at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1950. He joined the U.S. Army that year, serving in the Engineer Corps. He married Jane Newton and moved to Bridgeville, Del., after being discharged in 1952.

Through the years, Rider served as an employee, director, president, chief executive officer and chairman of O.A. Newton & Son Co., part of the Newton conglomerate of businesses for agricultural design, manufacturing and other products. He was involved with companies, including Newton Chemical and Supply Co., Newton Realty Inc., Newton Investment Co., Newton Foundation and the trust that owns the farm.

In January, Rider was awarded the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s Josiah Marvel Cup award for outstanding contributions to the State, community and society. Rider demonstrated public stewardship in his public and business life, serving as a chairperson, director and/or president of many groups, including: the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Delaware; Council on State Planning of Delaware; Delaware Economic Roundtable; Board of Governors of the United State Postal Service; Delaware State Fair; Chesapeake Utilities Corporation; Baltimore Trust Co. (now PNC Bank); PNC Bank; BlueCross BlueShield; a Bell-Atlantic Delaware; Burris Foods; Nanticoke Memorial Hospital; Christiana Care Health Systems, Inc.; Winterthur Corporate Council; and Newton Leasing and Finance Co., which merged with Park Avenue Associates in 2006; and he was trustee emeritus at University of Delaware.

Rider’s hobbies included snow skiing, big-game hunting and owning and operating Moss Lake Camp, a girls’ summer camp in New York. He was remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend, a gifted man of great humility, who readily shared his talents for the benefit of others.

Rider was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Nelson and Phyllis (Peabody) Rider; first wife, Jane Newton Rider, in 1979; a grandson, Lennan Hamilton; a step-daughter, Cheryl Skinner; and a brother, Thomas Nelson Rider II. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Barbara (Boyer) Rider; a son, Robert “Rob” F. Rider Jr. and his wife, Susan, of Seaford, Del.; four daughters, Robin Taylor and her fiancé, Steve Daugherty, of Greenwood, Del., Beth Stone of Buffalo, N.Y., Wendy Heyd and her husband, Greg, of Maui, Hawaii, and Terry Zittel and her husband, Bill, of Eden, N.Y.; a step-daughter, Candie Dunning and her husband, Jerry, of Smyrna, Del.; 16 grandchildren, Wendy Stone, Kristen Stone, Vince Heyd, Nick Heyd and his wife, Brittany, Matt Heyd, Jason Zittel and his wife, Ellen, Kimberly Zittel, Michael Zittel, Kyle Zittel, Justin Rider, Nathan Rider, Emma Rider, Josh Dunning and his wife, Allison, Brandon Dunning, Michael Skinner and his fiancée, Tasha, and Matt Skinner; a great-granddaughter, Molly Jane Zittel; and his beloved long-hair dachshund Schatzi.

Funeral services were scheduled for Friday, June 8, 2012, at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Rehoboth Beach, Del., with private interment. Arrangements were by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium in Lewes, through which condolences may be sent online at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, the family suggested memorial contributions be made to All Saints’ Episcopal Church; 18 Olive Ave.; Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971, or to University of Delaware; 126 Hullihen Hall; Newark, DE 19716.