First Name: Roberta
Last Name: Rider
Date of Birth: 21 Mar 1958
Date of Death: 31 Jan 1990
Town of Death: Mechanicsburg
County of Death: Cumberland
State of Death: Pennsylvania
Roberta Lynn Rider, Robbie, made her entrance into this world during a terrible snowstorm on March 21, 1958. She was born at Seidle Memorial Hospital in Mechanicsburg, PA, the third of five daughters, to Mary Lou and Merle Rider. She was truly a “Middle Child” in every sense of the word.
When we (her sisters) were older, our mother told us that she wanted her third child to be a boy in the worst way. Possibly as a result of her disappointment in giving birth to a third daughter, she suffered what, today, would be diagnosed as post-partum depression, and found it difficult to care for this big (10 lb.), beautiful baby with a head full of strawberry blonde curls. This seemed to set the tone for Robbie’s relationship with mom for the rest of their lives.
Robbie’s early years were unremarkable, though she often found herself in trouble with mom and dad. She was very, very stubborn and had a temper. Trouble seemed to follow her, or maybe she was just good at finding it. When it suited her, she was very charming.
At one point in her early/mid teen years she was briefly hospitalized for an exploratory surgery. I never knew or don’t remember what the surgeon found…possibly an ovarian cyst.
In her Junior year of high school, after partying with two girlfriends, she was involved in a terrible auto accident. She was a front seat passenger and was seriously injured. Her pelvis was broken in numerous places – the result of being impaled by a piece of a wooden fence post which entered the car through the right front wheel well, piercing her right inner thigh and protruding out her lower back. She was taken by ambulance to Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill, and underwent a lengthy surgery as surgeons removed wood splinters from her pelvis, lower back and leg. After a lengthy hospital stay, she returned home and continued convalescing. With rest and physical therapy, she was able to walk and dance and resume her life. Her injury never appeared to slow her down.
Despite missing a fair amount of her Junior year, she graduated with her class the following year.
After graduation, Robbie continued her education and earned a degree as an LPN. She never worked as a nurse, but, instead, worked in a periodontist’s office and, at the time of her death was employed by the Commonwealth’s Department of Corrections at the Camp Hill Prison.
Robbie married John Klippel when she was 20. The marriage was short lived. After her divorce, she had several long-term relationships.
In 1990, she and her much-loved dog, Bonzo, were living with a sister and that sister’s family, trying to pay off debts and get her life in order. On the evening of January 31st, Robbie left her sister’s home to put a deposit on a new car – her first – a Mercury Capri. She was so excited. After leaving the car dealership she went out for a celebratory drink with a friend. On the way home, her car hit a patch of black ice and slid into a tree. According to the Coroner, she did not suffer and died instantly, at the too-young age of 31.
Her family was devastated by her death and still remember her often in conversation.