Allan H. Rider

HAGUE | Allan H. Rider, 72, of Hague, N.Y., passed away peacefully at home in Hague, N.Y., on Sept. 7, 2025, with the people and the lake he loved so dearly close by. Born in Albany on Jan. 3, 1953, to Carol (Dox) and Harold Rider, Al grew up in Colonie, graduated with the Class of 1971, and went on to Hudson Valley Community College to study electrical engineering. He liked to say he learned how things work — and then spent a lifetime using that gift to make life work better for the people around him. Al built a distinguished career behind the scenes of television, most notably as a Director of Engineering at MTV Networks from 1997 to 2009. Manhattan was fast and loud, but Al met it with quiet steadiness. He was the one you called when it had to work and nerves were already frayed — calm in crisis, generous with credit, and endlessly patient with those still learning the ropes. Long after the shows ended, friendships with former colleagues continued, stitched together by his dry humor and unfussy kindness. When Al retired in 2009, he and his beloved wife, Brenda-Jean, moved to Hague and he began a second chapter that fit him perfectly. In a small workshop filled with the good smell of sawdust, he became "the local woodworker." There he turned boards into tables, chairs, and heirlooms — pieces that will carry family meals and conversations for years to come. He gave freely, too, donating his work to benefit the Lake George Association and pitching in whenever the community he loved needed a hand. Home was also where you'd find him with his greyhounds at his feet and a Packers game on. Football was more than a pastime — it was tradition. Each year, Al and his best friend, Jim, made a pilgrimage to Lambeau Field, a trip full of laughter, ritual, and the kind of friendship that keeps time from feeling so heavy. More than titles or projects, Al treasured people. He is survived by his wife, Brenda-Jean Rider; his son, Chris Rider, and daughter-in-law, Kathy; along with many friends who became family over the years. He was predeceased by his parents, Carol and Harold. Those who knew him will remember a gentleman who was both maker and mender — of equipment, of furniture, and sometimes of days that needed a little steadying. Relatives and friends may call Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Wilcox & Regan Funeral Home, 11 Algonkin St., Ticonderoga, N.Y. A service will follow at 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home. A memorial gathering will be held in Colonie at a later date. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Al's memory may be made to the Lake George Association, honoring his love for the water and the town that welcomed him. May his memory be a blessing, and may the things he built — tables, friendships, a life well lived — go on holding us together. To offer online condolences, please visit www.wilcoxandreganfuneralhome.com.

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