Agnes Bernice Rider, 96, a loving and compassionate mother and friend to all, died Saturday, March 3, 2012 at her home.

A celebration of Bernice’s life will be 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10 at the First Christian Church, 202 E. 12th Ave. in Emporia. Pastor Bob Colerick will officiate. The family will meet with friends from 1 p.m. until the service time at the church. Memorial donations to the First Christian Church for either the elevator fund or the library fund may be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett, P.O. Box 175, Emporia, KS 66801.

Agnes Bernice Anderson, the daughter of Iver C. and Esther Pearson Anderson, was born July 26, 1915 in Chanute. She attended Colfax Baptist Church throughout her childhood and young adult years. She moved to Emporia in 1932 to attend Emporia State Teachers College where she met and fell in love with Keith C. Rider. They were married Oct. 9, 1933 in Emporia. Together for 66 years, they celebrated many joys as well as persevered through heartaches and hardships with hard work, faith, and a commitment to each other. They enjoyed gardening and traveling to family reunions and children’s and grandchildren’s activities. Keith preceded her in death on July 11, 1999.

She is survived by five daughters, Betty Summa, St. Louis, Mo., Cheryl Martinez and her husband, Paul, Phoenix, Ariz., Teresa Smith, Green Valley, Ariz., Patty McAfee and her husband, Steve, Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Judy Jones and her husband, Bob, Emporia; one son, Keith C. “K.C.” Rider, Jr., and his wife, Barbara, Emporia; 14 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; four nieces and four nephews.

Bernice was preceded in death by her husband, Keith C. Rider, two sons, John Alan Rider and James Wilburn Rider, one granddaughter, Joanna Kay Jones, four brothers, Quentin Anderson, Donald Anderson, David Anderson and Iver Anderson, Jr., four sisters-in-law, Hope Heider, Alice Anderson, Lucile Anderson, and Edna Anderson, and one son-in-law, Lamoine Summa.

She was a member of the First Christian Church for more than 50 years and was the church librarian for many years, a member of the Literary League Study Club, the Emporia Garden Club, Better Home chapter Home Extension Unit, a 4-H leader for more than 30 years, American Red Cross volunteer, Sertoma Club Woman of the Year for community service, member and past president of Church Women United, Church Women Fellowship, and she helped start the Mother to Mother group in Emporia.

Bernice had many hobbies but her favorite was gardening. She grew many varieties of flowers in her butterfly garden and enjoyed taking entries to the annual Lyon County Fair. Her other hobbies were reading, sewing quilting and collecting aprons. Her collection of more than 150 aprons was proudly displayed throughout her home and at the Emporia Public Library several times.

Raising eight children, Bernice was a patient teacher, gentle disciplinarian, and compassionate encourager. Her greatest legacy to her family and friends was her unwavering faith and trust in Christ.