Heather Hostetler Memorial Fund

Dr. Heather Ann Hostetler, beloved wife of Dr. Stanley Dean Rider Jr., passed away on Wednesday, August 5, 2015. She leaves behind her husband and triplet daughters: Autumn Faith Rider, Mahala Lee Rider and Samantha Ann Rider. She is also survived by her immediate family which includes parents Ronald Herald and Teri Ann Hostetler of Walkerton, IN, a sister Brooke Lynne Bowling (husband, Joseph) of Greenwood, IN and a brother Brandon Eugene Hostetler (wife, Abby) of West Lafayette, IN.

Dr. Hostetler was born in South Bend, IN on September 23, 1973 and lived in Walkerton, IN throughout her childhood. She was a 36 year survivor of a stage IV Wilm’s tumor, which was identified when she was only 5 years old. She moved to West Lafayette, IN during her college years and attended Purdue University where she received an undergraduate degree in Neurobiology and Animal physiology in 1996. She married her husband on Saturday, October 16, 1999 (the four-year anniversary of the day they met). She earned a Ph. D. in Molecular Biology in 2003, also from Purdue University. During her post-doctoral studies at Texas A&M University, her research discoveries connected glucose and fat metabolism with gene regulation at the molecular level. As an accomplished junior scientist, she was one of the first recipients of the Pathways to Independence awards from the National Institutes of Health. At the time of her death, she was pioneering studies on diabetes, heart disease, and obesity as a tenured Associate Professor at Wright State University in Dayton, OH. Her discoveries were published in numerous prestigious scientific manuscripts. Her work was primarily funded by the National Institutes of Health.

She was an unselfish and trusted wife, mother, and friend. It is evident from close friends and family that her world revolved around her husband and daughters, whom she loved very much. On the rare occasions that she took time for herself, she enjoyed time with her siamese cats (Gizmo and Felicity), reading, drawing and other creative endeavors. She was diagnosed recently with gastric carcinoma that had metastasized to the liver. In her final days, she contracted aspiration pneumonia, which she was unable to overcome.
Funeral services will take place in Fowler, IN, the hometown of her husband. Tentatively, viewing will take place on Friday August 14, 2015 at Windler Funeral Home, with burial at Fowler Cemetery on Saturday August 15, 2015. A celebration of her life will follow with dinner at the Fowler American Legion Post 57. Times are yet to be determined.