San Bernardino County Obituaries

Allan Norwood Rader

Submitted by Peggy Hooper 1 Feb 2008

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"Big Bear Grizzly"; Date Unknown

Big Bear's Mr. Meals on Wheels Leaves the Driving to Us Thursday, June 16, 2005 

Sunday June 5th. Al Rader (75) passed the torch after a yearlong illness. 
Born Allan Norwood Rader, April 4, 1930, in Bartlesville, Ok., Al graduated from the 
University of New Mexico engineering school and became an engineer for Jacob's Engineering 
Co. of Pasadena, Calif. He was project manager on many construction jobs including the 
famous Borax Plant in Boron and the Kerr McGee Center in Trona, Calif.

After moving to Big Bear in 1988, and later retiring, he learned that the local Meals on 
Wheels program was in dire straits. There was little organization and those qualified seniors 
and others with disabilities were not getting their daily meal. Al volunteered to be a driver. 
He soon learned that not only were they short on drivers but meals as well. Within three months 
that all changed. He recruited enough drivers to insure that those qualified would be fed.

There were many days he had second thoughts, like when a driver did not show and he had to take 
the route himself. When asked to become president of the local Meals On Wheels, he said "No", 
that the most important job was to get the meals and deliver them to those in need. The annual 
fund-raiser was Al's creation. It grew from a $500 event to over $10,000 last year. This year's 
June 23rd. event will be dedicated to Al. He was the lifeblood of Meals On Wheels.

Allan Rader was the loving father of Mark Rader of Albuquerque, N.M., Pamela Goodballet of 
Henderson, NV., Cheryl Gibson of Inyokern, Calif., and Brenda Duer of Boulder Creek, Calif. He 
was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Sally. He leaves behind five grand children and 
two great grandchildren, his partner Pauline (Polly) Hulbert and his sister Sally Home both of 
Big Bear Lake, Calif.

A memorial service will be held on June 20, on the lawn at the Vintage Lakeside, 41066 Big Bear Blvd. 
The family request that in Lieu of flowers, donations be made to Meals On Wheels of Big Bear Lake.

 
Mortuary; Neptune Society, Riverside, Calif.

For more information, contact Jack Harrington, (909) 878-3039, Big Bear Lake, Calif.