Wanda Jean Rider

Wanda Jean Rider, age 72, of Whitehouse, Texas passed away on Sunday, February 23, 2025.

Jean was born on May 18, 1952 in Midland, Texas to John and Wanda Walker. She attended schools in a number of towns both large and small across West Texas and Eastern New Mexico, graduating from high school in 1970 in Plains, Texas. She began her college career at McMurry College in Abilene, Texas where she met her husband Paul. They were married in 1972. Paul’s profession as a Methodist pastor and Air Force Chaplain was a poor match for Jean’s dream of living on a ranch in one place for the rest of her life, but it worked out for 52 years of marriage as they lived all across the country through eight Air Force assignments!

Jean’s college years were interrupted by marriage, family, and other events, Along the way she worked as a watch builder at Timex in Abilene, providing childcare for working mothers, as an accountant for a large bakery, and as a substitute teacher. But teachers had been such a strong influence in her life over the years that she was determined to become a teacher herself, and in 1986 as the mother of three she received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in Education from the University of Arizona in Tucson. After teaching for only a few years, she realized that many of her students struggled with learning Chemistry due primarily to poor reading skills. That led her to receiving her Masters in Reading Education from Auburn University Montgomery, Alabama. While a student at AUM, she also worked for the Dean of Education in writing grants to support both the university and other educational activities in Alabama. Following her graduation from AUM, Jean taught Chemistry and Math at high schools in Arizona, Guam, North Carolina, and Ohio as the family moved between Air Force assignments. Jean had a passion for learning, and wanted to share that passion with her students. She spent any spare moments she had reading, and rarely went anywhere without a least one book in her purse.

Jean is survived by her husband Paul of Whitehouse, son Joshua and Leslie Rider of Wetumpka AL, daughter Cecilia Rider of Smyna GA, grandson Sean Rider of Wetumpka, granddaughter Harley Rider of Wetumpka, brother Alfred Vest and wife Claudette of Plains TX, brother Bill Vest and wife Frieda of Spur TX, sister Tammy Woolsey and husband Marshall of Rhome TX, brother Michael Walker and wife Danette of Van Buren, Arkansas, and a number of cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, and son Rian. In Lieu of flowers family request Memorial donations be made in Jean's name to East Texas Crisis Center, P.O. Box 7060, Tyler, Tx. 75711 or to One Place Family Justice Center, 530 S. Lawrence St., Montgomery, AL 36104. These centers work with women and children in abusive relationships.