Robert Jonathan Gryder

Robert Jonathan Gryder, 71, of Ten Mile passed away May 6, 2018 at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. He was born August 8, 1946 in Red Bank, TN to John Earl Gryder and Pricilla Breedlove Gryder. He graduated from Southwest Miami High School in 1965 and earned his Bachelors Degree in Liberal Arts from Barry University in Miami Shores, FL in 1980. He had been a resident of Meigs County since 2005.

Robert proudly and honorably served our country in a very active and adventurous career in the United States military. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corp after graduating from high school in 1965 and eventually retiring from the United States Coast Guard after 34 years of devoted service. Let's look at some of his adventures and accomplishments, in no particular order.

Robert served as Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post 2187 in 2007. He was a member if the Chief Petty Officer's Association since 1987, the Non-Commissioned Officers Association since 1974, Territorial Governor in Alaska and Tennessee, Single Action Shoot Badge # 4854 since 1993. Robert served at Marble Mountain, Viet Nam as a door gunner with HMM 346, at the Marine Air Station Beaufort, SC and as Platoon Sgt. at Camp Pendleton, CA during his time in the Marine Corp. He joined the Coast Guard in 1973 and served as a Search and Rescue Air Crewman on HH-52 helicopters and HU-16 fixed wing aircraft at the Coast Guard Air Station in Mobile, AL, CGAS Detroit, Mi and CGAS Miami, FL. He was an Investigator with the Marine Safety Office in Miami, Boarding Officer and Cox'n at Port Canaveral, FL for Space Shuttle Security and the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, CA.

He was Command Post Chief at Port Canaveral for Explosives Loading and Command Post Chief Kodiak Island, Alaska during the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. He completed his career with 16 years in Alaska, serving at 17th Coast Guard District, Port Security Chief where he became a "Plank Owner" in Homeland Security.

In addition to his military life, he had other accomplishments as well including being a lifetime member of Meigs County Masonic Lodge 213 and he was the shooting coach for the Rhea County 4H rifle team who finished 2nd at the state championships in April 2014. He was also a member of the Rhea County Homeland Security Unit of Rhea County Sheriff's Office.

His awards and decorations are numerous with the highest being 7 Air Medals. Robert said, "Some people spend their career of 34 years doing one thing. I did 34 different things one year at a time"

He was preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Barbara Bunyard Gryder and his parents, John Earl Gryder and Pricilla Breedlove Gryder.

Survivors include his fiance, Jenny Mathews of Hixson; his brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and "Bitsy" Gryder of Dayton; cousins, Lisa Breedlove of Chattanooga, Pat (Neil) Smith of Oak Ridge, Shelby Moon and family of South Carolina, and Traci (Brett) Wood and family of Monticello, FL; Nephew, Joseph Emmett Gryder of Arnold, MD; niece, Lorilei Dreibelbis of Front Royal, VA and several great-nieces and nephews.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at Bowers Funeral Home in Decatur on Saturday, May 26, 2018 at 10am. Inurnment with full military honors and Masonic rites will follow at Buttram Cemetery in Dayton.

Robert answered his country's call, "riding to the sound of cannons".

In lieu of flowers it was Robert's desire and the family's request that donations be made to the Wounded Warriors Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org).