This obituary was originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle and Legacy.com, but I’ve put it here for posterity.

Arthur Elliott (Pete) Reider

November 1, 1936 - August 13th, 2015

Arthur Elliott (Pete) Reider, MD, died peacefully at home in San Francisco of lymphoma on Thursday August 13th 2015. He was 78, born in November of 1936. Janet Sampson Reider, his wife of 57 years, and all three of his children were by his side. Dr. Reider and Janet divided their time for the last few years between their family home in Newton, a home in Vermont and San Francisco where they grew up.

A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Pete married Janet, his high school sweetheart, in the spring of 1958 after graduating from Harvard College. Janet and Pete met when they were 13 years-old, and Janet recalls how he chased her up the path at a Sunday school picnic, thus initiating the courtship. They began their married life in Cambridge, as Pete entered medical school.

A retired psychiatrist, Pete had a rich and rewarding professional life, earning the respect and gratitude of hundreds of patients, as an intern at Mt. Zion Hospital, as chief resident at Mass Mental Health Center, and in private practice in Cambridge and Newton.

Pete was a lifelong runner and fan of track and field. At Harvard, he ran cross country and was the captain of the Men’s Track and Field Team. He was a record holder in the mile run with time of 4:11, the 2 mile with a time of 9:21.8, and cross country. He was voted to the Harvard Athletic Hall of Fame and named a member Men’s All-Time First Team All-Ivy League Cross Country Team for both the 1957 and 1958 seasons. Coach Bill McCurdy said that Pete “was one of the toughest little men he has ever known, and that he fought fatigue like a mortal enemy.” Among Pete’s greatest joys was cheering on sons Jacob and Matthew, and grandchildren Sampson, Molly, and Charlotte as they continued the great Reider running tradition.

Pete was the son of Dr. Norman Reider, a renowned psychoanalyst, and Mrs. Louise Reider. Born in Topeka Kansas, he spent his early childhood in New York City, before moving to San Francisco, where he attended Lowell High School with Janet. With Janet at his side, Pete enjoyed travel, music, books, science, Red Sox games, the New Yorker magazine, and sharing his quick wit and love of learning with his grandchildren. Pete enjoyed a tradition of taking grandchildren on trips to Venice and never missed a graduation, play, concert, track meet, soccer game or birthday celebration. He was the best Grandpa on the planet.

Always curious, Pete took to writing short stories and poetry in recent years. Stepping Stones, a book of his poetry and fiction, notable for its quirky humor and characters, was published in 2014. Sharing his love of knowledge with others, Pete taught courses in the blues, humor in literature, and creative writing at BOLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Brandeis University.

Pete leaves behind his beloved wife Janet; his children Jacob Reider and his wife Alicia Ouellette, Suzie Reider and her husband Brian Smith, Matthew Reider and his wife Alison Cohen; grandchildren Molly Reider, Sampson Reider, Charlotte Reider-Smith, Rosie Reider-Smith, Max Reider, and Zoe Reider; his brother Jonathan Reider, brother-in-law John Sampson and his wife Sharon Litsky; sisters-in-law Deborah Green, Louise Sampson and Leah Reider, as well as dozens of beloved in-laws, cousins, and friends. A memorial service was held at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco on August 17th and this Fall the family will also remember Pete in the Boston area.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Aug. 17 to Aug. 23, 2015.

Comments and Memories

Roger Netzer - November 10, 2015

I was Pete Reider’s patient at intervals from 1972 to 1979, seeing him on Brattle Street and then in Waban. He saved my life.

Among other crises, he helped me survive terrifying writer’s block as I attempted to write a thesis for the college whose Health Services had guided me to him in the first place. With a trace of mockery that made my dramas seem a little less high and a little more manageable, he parodied the implacable Prussian disciplinarian in my head.

When later the thesis did well with its graders, he broke protocol, rose from his chair, crossed to my own, stuck out his hand and said, as he shook mine,“Well not everyone does that!” I was beginning to understand that reality might be preferable to the dread fantasies I made him listen to.

There were dark days still to come, and he helped me through those, too. Generous, good-humored, wise, he has my eternal love and gratitude for the blessed life he helped me face and embrace.

Henry Marcy - October 25, 2015

Upon my arrival for freshmen cross-country practice at Harvard in late August, 1956, I was warmly greeted by upperclassman Pete Reider. While Petey (that’s what I always called him) never let up (so it was impossible to beat him), he conveyed much useful wisdom about the sport and provided constant encouragement the entire two years we overlapped. I have loved visiting with him at Harvard track events ever since. With deep appreciation for his friendship, I mourn him now. My condolences to Petey’s family.

Joel R. Landau ‘59 - October 6, 2015

My condolences to the Reider family.

Pete’s competitive spirit was an inspiration for all of us on the track team.

Edward DeMarrais - August 29, 2015

I am a former Ivy League runner who has pictures of Pete in action for Harvard at Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx. At that time it was the site of the Heptagonal and the IC4A cross country championship races.

I was Brown ‘52, out of the Army, revisiting the site of some of the high points of my young life. In those days runners got very little notice. I had a camera and I guess Pete caught my notice with his intensity. I’ve located three shots with him at full tilt. They are on my IPAD, enlarged, enhanced and ready to go once I have an email destination address. Mine is edemarr@yahoo.com.

I am Ed DeMarrais, of Needham MA. I was not in Pete’s class as a runner during my time at Brown, but I got excited by the possibilities that arose during the running boom of the 70’s and ran up a storm as a competitor in the master’s program. They were the best years of my life, along by my marriage and the four kids (all of whom ran too). Now I’m getting in line for knee replacement but getting back to Van Cortlandt for nine k’s of x-country was worth it.

I regret I couldn’t get these pics to Pete in time, but I didn’t have the correct spelling of his name and the years of his time at Harvard. I tried once some years ago but didn’t much help, then by a clear miracle a picture caught my eye in an open page of the Boston Globe at my son’s home last Sunday and I knew I had found the man.

Anonymous - August 21, 2015

Darn it Pete, you had to go before we had that fancy baked stuffed potato that Janet and I planned to make about 20 years ago. Cos and I are feeling a void in our lives and wished we could have had that baked potato together. Hugs to my unforgettable friend Janet and kids Susie, Jacob & Mathew.

Kathy Dowling Cunha - August 21, 2015

My sincere condolences to your family. Pete was such a kind, warm and amazing man. I knew him through the Friends of Harvard Track, and he was so welcoming and kind. In talking with him, I could tell that his family was his biggest joy. He will be missed.

Charlie Raskin - August 20, 2015

My sincere condolences to the family. Pete was a very special person to have known over the years of association at Bolli.

Helen Stone Levenson - August 16, 2015

We have been special friends for the last 68 years. I shall miss the true and sincere friendship.