Richard Bader

Richard “Dick” Bader, 89, resident of Cicero for the past 40 years, passed away Sunday, March 31, 2024. Born in Minoa to the late Erwin and Hulda (Scherfling) Bader, Dick grew up on Campbell Road in Mattydale. He was a 1952 graduate of North Syracuse High School, received his B.S. degree in Physical Education from Ithaca College in 1956 and his M.S. and C.A.S. from Syracuse University in 1960 for Physical Education/Health and Recreation.

Dick had devoted half a century to a career as a teacher, an administrator, a coach, and an inspiration to thousands of young people within the North Syracuse School District before retiring in 1992. He led the NS Baseball team in 1966-1967 to a record number 43 game winning streak, a NS/CNS Varsity record that still remains intact. Dick moved into the position of Athletic Director after which he was appointed the Executive Director of NYS Section III Athletics to round out his athletic career. He was the first Parks & Recreation Director in the Town of Cicero. Throughout his career, he was awarded numerous honors. Dick was also part of the 1990 inaugural group to be inducted to the North Syracuse Wall of Distinction, he was enshrined in the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and was honored by the North Syracuse Education Foundation in 2017. He touched the lives of many students and young athletes during his tenure.

Dick was an avid photographer of nature and athletic events. He was a handyman and a farmer at heart who enjoyed traveling especially to the Adirondacks. Above all, he loved his family and his God. He loved animals, ice cream, stroopwafels, the Kingston Trio and his German music.

Dick is survived by his five children: Mark (Debbie) Bader of Baldwinsville, Ruth (Dan) Beasley of Cicero, Daniel Bader of Liverpool, and their mother, Nancy Bader of Cicero, Grete (Dustin) Day of Liverpool, and Molly Bader of New York City and their mother, Bobbi; four siblings: Lois Walker of Raleigh NC, Sharon (Larry) Putman of Cicero, Marilyn (Larry) Colenzo of North Syracuse, and David (Barbara) Bader of Lyndhurst, OH; 7 grandchildren: Danae, Tom, Makenzi, Kalli, Jim, David, and Eric with one more on the way; 7 great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions to honor Dick with a memorial scholarship may be made to North Syracuse Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 5205, Syracuse, NY 13220 or to Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, 435 S. Main St., North Syracuse, NY 13212. In Dick’s honor, go watch a baseball game, enjoy an ice cream cone, eat a Heid’s hotdog, watch a sunset, plant a garden, and love your children.

The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Keepsake Village in Liverpool for their loving care through the last year of his life.