John Francis Ryder

Funeral Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8018280177 Password: 4444MITB Meeting ID: 8018280177 John Francis Ryder, beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on May 10, 2023, at the age of 71. He is survived by his wife, Sherri, his seven children, 19 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren, each of whom will deeply miss his quiet, constant goodness and quick wit. John was born on October 22, 1951, in Omaha, Nebraska to James and Jeanne Ryder. He grew up in a good, loving, large Catholic family with eleven closeknit siblings. Early in life, he developed an appreciation for hard work, service, and dedication to family. After completing his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Nebraska, he moved to BYU to pursue a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. In his first year there, he met the love of his life, Sherri Drybread. The two of them would go on to have seven children and share 48 years together in marriage. After concluding his studies at BYU, John and Sherri moved to Midland, Michigan where he worked as a chemist and researcher at Dow for 38 years. John was naturally shy and unassuming, yearning for the anonymity of discrete service. He felt most comfortable in the corner of a chemistry lab or snow blowing neighbors’ driveways. But his inherent kindness and desire to bless the lives of others would result in him being asked to serve as a bishop and later in two stake presidencies. Each of these opportunities stretched him far outside his innate comfort zone but were responsibilities he humbly fulfilled with loving excellence and dedication, blessing the lives of so many. He relished most of all his time with family, each of whom he was staunchly loyal and proud. Despite his busy work and church obligations, he rarely missed a game of any of his highly active children. He was happiest when picking up a child from the airport, tutoring a grandchild in science, or laughing at the boisterous enthusiasm of loved ones packing into his home. John's legacy of love, sacrifice, and service will live on through his family and friends. He will be deeply missed, but his memory will be a source of comfort and strength for those who admired and loved him. Because of Jesus Christ, John believed deeply that the eternities are progressive and that cherished family relationships will continue. He therefore passed to the other side with confidence in treasured future familial reunions. The memorial service will be held on May 13, 2023, at 11:00am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Stake Center at 951 East 100 South, Salt Lake City. The service will be streamed through Zoom (meeting ID: 8018280177. Or https://zoom.us/j/8018280177. Password: 4444MITB). John is survived by his wife Sherri and their seven children: Jennifer / Rex Bush; Maureen / Randy Shumway; Victoria / Jeremy Vaughan; Jonathan / Christy Ryder; Mary / Jacob Nattress; Mike / Katie Ryder; BJ / Grace Ryder. John’s family requests rather than flowers or gifts that all donations be made in John’s honor to www.ipffoundation.org to honor the four-year battle John courageously fought with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

John Francis Ryder

October 22, 1951 - May 10, 2023