Obituary: Harvey Sider

"Work and people are what my life is all about." This was the opening line of Harvey Sider’s obituary; it was a quote he often used to describe himself. The Messiah University community mourns the passing of this humble and gracious leader who died last November. Sider had spent a lifetime in ministry, preaching first in the Brethren in Christ (BIC) church in Canada and then in Bihar, India. Upon moving back to Canada, he returned to the pastorate and later was president of Niagara Christian Collegiate. After serving as the Bishop of the Canadian Conference of the BIC church for 12 years, he and his wife, Erma, moved to Pennsylvania where he served as the moderator of the BIC denomination in North America. It was during this time he served on the Board of then-Messiah College as one of the denominational representatives. Sider was known throughout the world as a man of integrity, kindness and deep Christian faith. As noted by Associate Vice President for Development Jon Stuckey, “Harvey was not only an insightful Messiah Board member, a helpful advisor and a wonderful encourager, but he also became a friend.” Though not a graduate himself, Sider had many family members who are Messiah alumni, including his parents, Earl ’23 and Elsie ’23, and his sister, Rhoda Sider Heise ’48. In addition, his brothers, Morris and Robert, were both on faculty here. We are grateful for his service on the Board of Trustees and his family’s remarkable legacy at Messiah University.