General Paul Rader (Rtd.) was promoted to Glory on January 18, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Commissioner Kay Rader, three children, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Paul Alexander Rader was born to Lyell Mayes and Gladys Damon Rader on March 14, 1934 in the Bronx, New York, and was raised in a wholly committed Salvation Army family. Rader spent his undergraduate years at Asbury University, then studied at Asbury Theological Seminary and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, graduating with BA, BD and MTh degrees.

At Asbury, he met and married Kay Fuller, who graduated with a BA degree in education. Together, they entered The Salvation Army School for Officer Training in New York in September 1960 as cadets of the Soldiers of Christ session. They were appointed Cadet-Lieutenants to Newark, New Jersey, in 1961 and ordained and commissioned as officers in The Salvation Army on June 14, 1962.

Lieutenants Paul and Kay Rader felt called to be missionaries to South Korea. Upon their commissioning, they were appointed to the faculty at The Salvation Army Officer Training College in the Korea Territory.  In their early years there, they studied the Korean language, becoming fluent enough to preach and teach in Korean.

In March 1972, with their three children, Captains Paul and Kay Rader were assigned to Southern California Divisional Headquarters World Services Department, receiving the rank of major in December 1972. While in California, Major Paul Rader studied at Fuller Theological Seminary, earning his doctorate in missiology. 

In August 1973, they returned to the Korea Territory, with Major Paul first serving as the Training Principal, then later as Territorial Education Secretary. In October 1977, Major Rader was appointed Chief Secretary and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In February 1984, the Raders returned to the United States after 22 years of service in Korea for Paul to serve as Principal of the School for Officer Training in Suffern, New York.

In January 1989, Lt. Colonel Rader was appointed Chief Secretary of the USA Eastern Territory with promotion to the rank of Colonel, and in October 1989, was promoted to the rank of Commissioner and became leader of the USA Western Territory.

In 1994, Commissioner Paul Rader was elected the first American-born General of The Salvation Army with an unprecedented unanimous vote, and he held this London-based role of international leader until 1999. During those years, Commissioner Kay Rader was the World President of The Salvation Army Women’s Organizations. Together, they traveled to over 75 countries, bringing encouragement, inspiration and growth to the work of The Salvation Army around the world. 

Upon retirement, General (Dr.) Rader served as the 15th President of Asbury University from 2000–2006. He retired from this position in 2006 and lived his remaining years in Lexington, Kentucky, with his beloved wife, Kay. 

General Lyndon Buckingham, the current international leader of The Salvation Army, has paid tribute to General Rader, saying: “General Paul Rader was a devoted servant and leader. I salute his unwavering commitment to his calling, his unrelenting vision for the growth of The Salvation Army and the sharing of the gospel to the furthest reaches of the globe.”