Robert Henry Rieder

Robert Henry Rieder, 89 of Monroe, passed away quietly at home in the loving presence of family following a long illness on Saturday, August 9 , 2014 . He was born April 8, 1925, in Monroe, WI to the late William C. and Eunice (Smith) Rieder.  He was a lifelong resident of Monroe and member of St. Clare of Assisi (St. Victor) Church where he attended grade school.   Robert received the Citizenship Award while attending Monroe High School.  After graduation in 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in New Guinea, the Philippines and Japan.  Following an honorable discharge in 1946, Robert entered the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Upon graduation in 1950, he joined The Monroe Clinic as Assistant Business Manager, and became Administrator in 1973, continuing in this position until his retirement in 1990.   He served in leadership positions in a number of professional, civic, church and community service organizations.  As a violinist and horn player, Robert shared a great love of music with his wife Mary Alice (Graham), whom he met while serving as President of the University of Wisconsin Orchestra, and whom he married May 3, 1952 in Racine, WI.

Robert is survived by his wife Mary Alice; daughter Mary Joy (Michael Peroz) of Eagan, MN;  son Robert (Anita) and their children Gillian and Nathalie, all of Eden Prairie, MN;  and son Richard (Connie) of Monroe; brothers William (Marie) of Madison; and Kenneth (Yvonne) of Solon, Ohio.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, August 14, 2014, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Clare of Assisi Parish at St. Victor Catholic Church, 1760 14 ^th Street, Monroe, with Father Larry Bakke, Celebrant. Interment with military honors  will be in Calvary Cemetery, Monroe, followed by a luncheon at the church. Visitation will be at the Newcomer Funeral Home, Monroe, on Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and at the church on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service. The Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Clare of Assisi Parish or The Apostolate to the Handicapped. The family would like to thank the dedicated caregivers, The Monroe Clinic Hospice and medical personnel, and many friends for the special care and kind attention they have shared with Robert and Mary Alice during this past year.

Robert H. Rieder A Tribute by Mary Joy Rieder Peroz

How to capture in a few words the essence of a full life of 89 years?  Perhaps for my father, Robert Rieder, quite simply, a life defined by the virtues of faith and integrity : steadfast faith in his God, faithfulness to cherished family and friends; and integrity in his personal, professional and community life, an integrity that bore fruit in his lifelong commitment to service.

My father was formed in the practice of his Catholic Eucharistic faith, a faith engendered by his parents, Eunice and Bill.   Even after he had learned of his advanced stage cancer, his rosary and his Magnificat prayer book remained his constant companions.  Roman Catholic, yes, but also catholic with a big heart and small "c."

My father was also formed as a musician, like his brother Ken, learning violin as a toddler on his grandfather's knee, and taking up French Horn quite quickly as a middle school student in order to fill a marching band position for a Milwaukee parade.  As a young boy, during the less than ecumenical 1930's, he was occasionally invited to play his violin for various ladies church groups in Monroe, so enchanting the Methodist ladies that they thought to serve him cheese sandwiches during their Friday luncheon meetings.  Quite recently, he was inspired to take up his violin again, and we enjoyed hearing him play some favorite pieces.  This lifelong passion for music, and more significantly, a steadfast commitment to faith, which he and my mother practiced throughout their lives together and passed on to their children, endure as a great blessing.

My father's home parish of St. Victor, now St. Clare of Assisi, was a place of great importance for him, his heart's home in the community.  He was baptized, confirmed, made his First Communion, and attended school in this parish.  He and my mother led the parish men's choir from the early 1950's through the mid- 1960's, and he served regularly as a lector, usher and sacristan.  Subsequently, for special church occasions my father played violin, accompanied by my mother at the organ.  Through their friendship with Fr. Campion this became a ritual every Christmas Eve at St. Clare Hospital.    Until recent years, he and my mother continued their liturgical service as volunteer Eucharistic ministers at Pleasant View Nursing Home, and always looked forward to volunteering for special events of the Apostolate to the Handicapped.

The Monroe Clinic was the center of my father's professional life, the organization to which he devoted his best efforts, managing many challenges and forging so many wonderful friendships.  From the beginning of his tenure there as Assistant Manager in 1950, through his appointment as Administrator in 1973 and until his retirement in 1990, the Clinic grew to a notable medical facility of more than 50 physician specialists, and it continues to thrive today.  His professional engagement extended to national and state affiliation with the Medical Group Management Association, and he served on the boards of directors for local utility and financial institutions.

Notwithstanding my parents' second residence in Arizona, nor several trips to his ancestral homelands of Switzerland and Ireland, the nucleus of my father's life remained in Monroe.   An innate desire for service carried through to the numerous fraternal, service and civic organizations in which he was involved, often in leadership positions, most notably the KC's and Kiwanis, as well as the Chamber of Commerce, Cheese Days and City Council. His abiding motto:  People are more important than things.

My father was part of the "Greatest Generation".   He was profoundly affected by his World War II experiences in the Pacific Theater where he served as an Army high-speed radio operator while attached to the 6th Ranger Battalion in the Philippines, as well as in New Guinea and as part of the Occupation of Japan.  During his last visit to Madison two years ago, he and his brother Bill fondly shared recollections and photos of their time together in service.

He believed in God's providence for the country he served, and in recent years he often wondered if his country had abandoned this Providence.  Yet his strong faith endured in and through his most precious treasure, that which was most important to him, his family.

Although my father earned a full music scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he deferred this opportunity to military service, and later attended the UW on the G.I. bill, earning a degree in business administration.  My brothers Bob and Rick and I wouldn't be here to tell this story if he had not been President of the UW Symphony Orchestra in 1950, the year my mother performed a Beethoven piano concerto with that same orchestra.

The rest is – simply history.   Bob and Mary Alice built their home of 62 years on a parcel of land my grandfather had maintained as a flower garden.  Although he dedicated his energies to many organizations, my father was first and foremost a devoted husband and a father, providing for our welfare in spiritual as well as material matters, quite occasionally stern, but more frequently guiding his children with thought-provoking wit, wisdom - and generosity.   While he requested no grandiose tribute, he wished to especially acknowledge his wife and our mother, Mary Alice, as his dearest life's companion.  He insisted, "I would have been nothing without her."  Or, to paraphrase the words of a close friend and spiritual confidant of mine, she was his earthly salvation.

All the blessed experiences of growing up together in the Rieder household, along with these Wisconsin winters, challenged our parents' patience and forbearance in various ways.  So it was that they migrated to Phoenix where they prospered for 20 warm post-retirement winters, enjoying the company of many new friends.

In June 2013 my father began another life journey, one marked by the encounter with a serious illness from which he could not recover.  A journey of suffering – his own and that of my mother, his caregiver and eventual companion in needing care.  A journey of ever encompassing acceptance, accepting the help of children and caregivers, and finally - a journey of entrusting oneself entirely to God's accepting embrace.

It is with deepest gratitude that we would like to acknowledge: the caregivers who have been so good to my parents, Ramona, Pam, Marie, and the kind and dedicated staff of Serenity Haven; Drs. Nick Maxwell and Eric Anderson and their medical associates; from St. Clare of Assisi, Fr. Bakke, Fr. Klarer, Pat, Doris and the parish staff and ministers who sent notes, visited and brought Holy Communion; neighbors Gabrielle and George, Ken and Susan, Gary, Lee and Will -- and the many family and friends who offered solace and cheer by their cards, calls, visits and prayers.  Finally, Bob and Mary Alice could not have stayed so comfortably in their home these past years –and certainly not since last February -- without the constant attention and devotion of my brother and sister-in-law Rick and Connie.

While we grieve Robert's passing, we rejoice in his entry into eternal life.  For, if Faith continues to guide us; if the sweetness of music continues to refresh and inspire us, if the family and friends whom we love dearly continue to sustain and console us, then the silver thread running through these blessed years remains and will always remain woven with sure hope in a compassionate God who has passed through this life to prepare a place for each of us.   Robert, may the angels lead you into paradise and may the saints give you warm welcome there, so that you might enjoy the Divine Presence for all eternity.