Peary Rader (October 17, 1909 – November 24, 1991) was an American early bodybuilder, Olympic lifter, writer, and magazine publisher from Nebraska. He was the founding publisher of Iron Man from 1936 to 1986.
Early life
Rader was born on October 17, 1909, in Peru, Nebraska. He grew up near Hemingford in Box Butte County, Nebraska. At its peak, the magazine had a circulation of 40,000. He authored approximately 1,300 magazine articles; most were in Iron Man, but some were also published in Strength Athlete.
Rader was the chairman of the National Body Building Association. He was inducted into the Body Building Hall of Fame and the Power Lifting Hall of Fame.
Personal life and death
Rader married the former Mabel Kirchner in 1936; they had two sons, Jack and Gene.
Rader died on November 24, 1991, in Alliance, Nebraska, at the age of 82.