Richard Joseph Sider

1921 - 2016

SIDER Our dad received his heart's desire and is now holding hands with our Mom in heaven. Richard Joseph Sider passed away peacefully surrounded by his children on February 19. He was born on February 13, 1921 in Brooklyn, NY to Joseph Sider and Gertrude Ostermann Sider. He served proudly in the US Navy during WWII as a Chief Machinist's Mate on two different destroyer escorts, serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific, participating in 7 invasions. He worked for Reeves Instrument Corporation and its successor companies for more than 40 years and participated in the building of the Down Range Tracking stations for Cape Canaveral, the components for the Apollo Program Lunar Lander and the Apollo Mission tracking radars. Besides Brooklyn, he has lived in Plainview, NY, Cape Canaveral, FL and Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Jacksonville, FL. He is survived by his children, Richard Sider, Katherine (Frank) Mauro, and Kristine (Rusty) Huseman. He has seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 10:00am on Friday, March 18 at Celebration Lutheran Church, 810 Roberts Rd. St. Johns, FL 32259. Burial will take place at Jacksonville National Cemetery at 12:30pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his honor to the USS Slater DE 766 Destroyer Escort Historical Museum PO Box 1926, Albany, NY 12201-1926. We will miss his gentle smile, his loving heart, and his beautiful blue eyes. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin 11801 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32223 www.hgmandarin.com (904)288-0025