Anna Dorothy Rider

Anna Dorothy Rider (nee Guercio), went home to the Lord and her family on Monday, April 29, 2024, at the age of 96.  Dorothy was predeceased by her beloved husband Joseph S. Rider, Jr. of 55 years in 2008.

She was the daughter of Joseph and Rosina Guercio and the youngest sister to; Samuel Guercio, Theresa Trimble, Sarafina West, Anthony Guercio, Josephine Anderson, Mary Guercio, Charles Guercio and Margaret Doetzer, all who predeceased her.

She is survived by her loving family; Joseph Rider III and wife Lana, Debbie Snook and husband Todd, Wayne Rider and wife Shirley, and Daniel Rider.  She was also the grandmother to Jessica Thompson (Rider), Michael Rider, Amanda Spangler (Snook) and husband, Mark, Adam Snook and wife Jenna, Samantha Gray (Swecker) and husband Thomas, Shayna Chavez (Rider) and husband Vincent, Shane Rider, and Dylan Rider. She was also the great grandmother to Skyler Thompson, Makenzie Spangler, Paralya, Kaiya and Elva Gray, Mika Panas, Violet and Jessie Perez.

Dorothy's parents arrived in the United States from Palermo/Cefalu, Sicily. They settled in Colorado and were married in Trinidad, Colorado in June 1908. Joseph and Rose Guercio had 9 children and Dorothy who was the youngest, was born March 12, 1928.

The family later moved to Maryland where they resided on Pimlico Road in Baltimore. Her father worked a brick layer and a mason.

Dorothy met Joe at Koontz Creamery in Reisterstown and they were married on June 21, 1952.  After she left Koontz Creamery she became a stay-at home-mother and wife.  Later when the kids were older, she reentered the work force and worked at Dutter's Food Service in 1976.

They lived in Gwynn Oak, first on Lewellen Avenue and later moved to a new home in Woodlawn, where they lived from 1953 until 2006. They raised their four children there and sent all of them through 12 years of Catholic School.

Mom and Dad loved to play cards and many weekends the family spent time at the aunts' and uncles' homes playing cards, while the cousins all played together. They always shared a huge meal on those occasions.

She also loved BINGO and Lana would go with her, where they also met several nieces and other relatives for a fun time. She also enjoyed tracking the daily lottery numbers and visiting the casino to play the slot machines.

Mom and her sisters and brothers, were very close and she spoke with them often.  Her sister, Mary, spent lots of time visiting and staying with the family when they resided in Woodlawn.

In 2006, Mom and Dad moved in with Wayne and Shirley in their new home in Westminster. After Dad passed in January 2008, Mom continued to live there until February 2022, when her memory began to fail and she needed more round the clock care.

She was admitted to a memory care unit at Autumn Lake Healthcare at Longview Nursing Home in Manchester, where she resided until her passing. The family visited often and sadly watched as her cognitive skills faded.

Final arrangements made by Eckhardt Funeral Chapel, P.A. of Manchester, 3296 Charmil Drive, Manchester, Maryland 21102.

Interment is private.

A Mother

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."

But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."

Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children," A little patience and we are there."

So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."

And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have earned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I have given them strength."

And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide.

And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them."

And the children said, " You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."

And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her.

And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."

Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you.. Not time, not space...not even death!

MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHER FOR GRANTED.

Author: Unknown"