Obituary of Dr. Michael G. Rider
After a one-year battle with cancer, Michael George Rider, D.C. died peacefully on December 22, 2018 in Dallas, TX. He was 68.
Mike was born in Adrian, Michigan to Harley and Virginia Rider. At 17, he enlisted to serve in the United States Marine Corps, seeing combat in 1969-1970 in Viet Nam. He passed his G.E.D. exam in Saigon while on leave. On returning to Michigan, he attended junior college and received a full academic scholarship to Michigan State University, where he graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1976.
Engineering was his first career and brought him to Dallas TX to work for Texas Instruments, Mostek and ETC Flextronics. He also operated a residential remodeling company for several years. During this time, his personal experience with degenerative discs in his spine inspired him to make a major change in career path. He was drawn to a career of service which applied his knowledge of engineering to the human frame. After five more years of education, he graduated in 1992 from Parker College of Chiropractic (now Parker University) with a B.A. in Anatomy and his doctorate in Chiropractic.
Dr. Rider began a private practice in the Dallas and Plano area which spanned 27 years, three locations and served 1000’s of patients. Being an encourager of others, he taught other doctors around the country as well as his patients. In practice he was assisted by his wife and soulmate Lisa; together they fulfilled a life purpose to aid others in the minimal use of drugs and surgery while restoring the power of the nerve system to control the body and allow internal healing.
Mike enjoyed extensive travel with Lisa throughout Texas and the Southwest. He was a collector, photographer, builder and a talented cook. He and Lisa participated in the Chili Appreciation Society International cookoffs for over ten years.
Mike is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Middleton Rider (“Lisa”) of Frisco TX; by his sister Marilyn Jacomet (Pat), niece Kristan Stanforth (Bill) and other nieces and a nephew of Piqua and Dayton, Ohio; and by his in-laws Donna Middleton Davis (Dick) and William Jeffrey Middleton (Suzanne), as well as niece Mary Shiels Davis (“Molly”) and nephews Sawyer McLellan Davis and Alan Richard Davis (Olivia), of New Orleans and Metairie LA. Special thanks to Dr. Scott Rayfield for his assistance to Mike, Lisa and the practice in 2018.
Services will be private. Friends, patients, colleagues and family are encouraged to share a brief recollection of Mike on this website and to consider a donation to one of his favorite charities: The Yosemite Conservancy (www.yosemiteconservancy.org); the Smile Foundation (www.smilefoundationdental.org) ;or the Big Bend Conservancy (www.Bigbendfriends.org).