James R. Rider

Obituary for James Richard Rider

James (Jim) Richard Rider passed peacefully July 4th, 2019. Jim was born July 10th, 1933 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Jim was the third of four sons born to Albert and Magnolia Rider. Jim attended Williamsport High School and proudly served his country as a member of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army (the Screaming Eagles) from 1953-1955 during the Korean Conflict.

In 1950 Jim and his late wife, Lois, came to Ithaca to carve out a new life for themselves. Lois took a job as a baker at Jansen’s Bakery and Jim took a job first as a driver for Swift and Company and later as a laborer for Robertson & Carpenter. Together Jim and Lois made ends meet. In 1955 they recognized an opportunity to take over ownership of a small 15 seat diner in Collegetown known as Tony’s Corner. Together Jim and Lois successfully operated the diner for five years. During the course of their ownership they served and befriended many students and local business people. Most notably, they befriended Robert (Bob) Orcutt who was a loyal customer and a big fan of Jim’s uncanny wit, Lois’s home cooking and the couple’s exemplary work ethic. In 1960 Jim and Lois purchased the Hillside Inn at 518 Stewart Avenue from Bob Orcutt which they owned and operated for 59 years. Additionally, Jim and Lois purchased 114 Summit Ave (Ithaca Apartments) in 1970 and were local landlords for 47 years.

If we define luck as the intersection of preparedness with opportunity. Jim was a “lucky man”. He was keen to recognize opportunity and prepared to take advantage of it when it did. Despite his lack of formal education, Jim was smart. He identified his shortcomings and aligned himself with honest, talented, devoted, and patient people who compensated for his weaknesses and facilitated his success. Jim valued loyalty, tradition, commitment, and perseverance. Jim’s long standing relationships with friends, employees and family are tantamount to the values he held core.

Jim was a longtime member of the Ithaca Lion’s Club (1971-2019) and served as chapter president in 1978. Jim was also an avid bowler participating in the Ithaca Businessman’s League from 1971 to 1990 (League Champion 1971, 1983 with teammate James R. Orcutt, Sr.). Jim was an avid ice hockey fan, holding season tickets to the Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey games for the past 40 years as well as a sponsor, sponsoring the Hillside Inn Team in the Ithaca AdultHockey Association’s B/C League from 2013-2018 (2014 League Champions).

Jim loved traveling with his wife and friends making numerous memorable trips to: Florida, Hawaii, South Carolina, Ohio, Aruba, Canada, Ireland and a few Polish weddings in Detroit, Michigan. Jim also enjoyed hosting his annual “Shindig” summer party which was an annual and sometimes wild gathering of friends and family for twenty five consecutive years. Although he never had any children of his own, Jim will be remembered for his kindness and generosity to other people’s children. Jim will also be remembered for his generosity to several honorable causes and organizations including: The SPCA of Tompkins County, the Ithaca Lion’s Club, the Salvation Army, Immaculate Conception Church, the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, and the Ithaca Adult Hockey Association.

Jim was predeceased by his wife, Lois Elizabeth Rider and brothers, Leonard, Eugene and George. He is survived by his companion Darlene Drake, nephews Scott (Pam) and Chris (Bethanie) Rider, niece Linda Dolley, several great nieces and nephews, his namesakes, Kaeden James Rider and Aonghus Rider Orcutt, and the Orcutt Family who has known and loved Jim for over 60 years.

A prayer service of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10AM Saturday July 13th, 2019, at the Immaculate Conception Church with burial to follow the mass. Memorial donations may be made in Jim’s name: to The SPCA of Tompkins County 1640 Hanshaw Road Ithaca, NY 14850.

To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of James R. Rider, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store .