Roland "Oscar" Grider

Oscar was born to Billie Lee and Venancia Paz Grider in Corpus Christi, Texas, on August 17, 1956. As a child and young man, he moved and lived around the country due to his father’s Air Force and NASA careers. Oscar graduated from Lompoc High School in 1974, and attended University of California at Santa Barbara, where he briefly played football before deciding to take some time to explore other options for his life.

Oscar lived a life rich in experience, tending to strawberry fields and vineyards in California, alongside his mother and siblings. Working for Exxon, building airplanes for Northrop Grumman, and he kicked off his young sales career, selling shrimp for his mother’s shrimping business in Houston. Oscar learned the ins and outs of entrepreneurship from his parents and from the mentorship provided in Amway, where he created lifelong friendships.

He worked in sales and business development for numerous regional and national distributors in the high-tech arena and dedicated his later years to building a career in cyber security solutions, mentoring, and owning his own business, Data Defense Partners with his son.

Oscar was strong in his beliefs, had a genuine care for others, his jokes and humor could fill a room with laughter, he enjoyed taking on the challenge to superglue or repair nearly anything, loved to set off fireworks for all to enjoy and made a hobby of buying and trading guns and ammo. He truly mastered and loved the art of negotiation. Oscar loved football and followed the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Longhorns, more recently he also followed LSU (for his grandson). You could always bet on Oscar watching one of his favorite shows, Judge Judy, with his grandchildren and he loved taking his family swimming or out on his boat at Lake Travis.

Oscar wore many titles throughout his life, brother, son, uncle, friend, colleague, with the most important being Husband, Dad and Papa. Oscar had a larger-than-life kind of love for his family that was evident anytime he was holding hands with his wife or embracing his children or grandchildren. Being a Grandpa came naturally to Oscar. It was his priority to be at football, soccer, volleyball and t-ball games and school events. His grandkids loved his tight hugs and silly voices and knew they could bring any broken toy to Papa (there isn’t a toy he couldn’t fix or glue back together!).

He married the love of his life and soulmate, Dora Silva, on February 23, 1985, in New Braunfels, Texas. In 1986 they had their first child, Daniel and two years later welcomed their daughter, Julie to complete their family. He called Austin home for more than 40 years.

He was preceded in death by his father, Billie, mother, Venancia, sister, Julie Parker, brother, Leon Grider, father-in-law, Erineo Silva, Sr., niece, Natasha Archuleta, and nephew, Bryan Pesina.

He is survived by his loving wife, Dora Silva-Grider, children, Daniel Grider (Amanda Sanchez) and Julie Casto (Michael Casto), mother-in-law, Maria Silva, sister Josa King (Kelly King), brothers Fred Grider, Anthony Grider (Donna Grider), Jerry “Flip” Filipovic, and five grandchildren Isabella and Tyler Casto and Camila, Olivia and Elijah Grider. Oscar is also survived by numerous other family members he loved dearly including, brothers-in law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews, and cousins.

In his memory, donations can be made to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas, St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Homes For Our Troops, organizations that Oscar frequently donated to and held near to his heart.

A memorial service for Oscar will be held 3:00 pm on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, TX 78660.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com for the Grider family.