Gilbert “Gib” Cletus Rader

Gilbert “Gib” Cletus Rader, 63, of Marionville passed away in the comfort of his own home on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 surrounded by family. Starting in September 2021, he began his battle against an aggressive form of colon cancer which lead to carcinomatosis of the abdomen.
He was born on Nov. 16, 1958 to Thomas E. Rader, Sr. and Patty Swackhamer in Columbia and raised in Springfield. He met his wife, Patricia “Patti” Jolyn Pryor, at a horse show, and they went on to be married on Dec. 23, 1976. He is survived by his wife of 46 years.
Rader and Patti traveled across the United States working as trainers and exercise riders for race horses. He was on the starting gate crew at Waterford Park Raceway, W.Va., for several years, and they both trained race horses at Keeneland, Ky., Payson Park, Fla., Churchill Downs, Ky., Turfway Park, Ky., and Gulfstream Park, Fla. In 1981, they moved to Kansas and operated the 3,600-acre Williamson Ranch for several years before starting a family. Their first daughter, Roberta Rochelle, was born in 1983 in Kansas. They returned to the Springfield area to operate a horse farm in east Springfield called Hickory Hills, where they welcomed their second daughter, Victoria Lea, in 1987.
He was an excellent horse ferrier and shod many horses over the years. In 1996, the family moved to Marionville to a 200-acre farm and spent many years raising beef cattle. There are now over 85 Angus and Angus/Hereford-cross pairs on the farm.
He started Rader Fence Co. and built farm fence for hire for over 30 years. He was a talented welder, perfectionist, and had a very creative mind. He built endless miles of farm fence in Lawrence county and the surrounding areas. He retired in 2020.
Rader leaves behind his wife, Patti Rader of Marionville; father, Tom Rader, Sr. of Gainesville; mother, Pat Swackhamer of Ash Grove; his oldest daughter, Robbie (Adam) Doerhoff of Hallsville; his youngest daughter, Vicki (Jeff) Schiman of Marionville; four grandchildren.