Born on June 16, 1936, in Maryville, Tennessee, Lee Hyder was an Eagle Scout who was educated at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and at the University of California at Berkeley, which awarded him the Ph.D. degree in chemistry in 1962. Dr. Hyder moved to Aiken, SC, where he had a 35-year career as a research chemist and manager at the Savannah River Laboratory. He was the author of nearly 50 scientific and technical publications, and was recognized as an expert on safety in nuclear operations. In this capacity, he served on several national safety reviews conducted by the U.S. Dept. of Energy, and was joint editor of a monograph for the International Atomic Energy Agency on the disposition of radioactive iodine from nuclear reprocessing operations. He participated in U.S. safety exchanges in Russia in 1993 and 1994, and was on the first U.S. delegations that visited two formerly secret Soviet nuclear installations. After retirement in 1998, he continued to consult and served a term as president of the International Society for Nuclear Air Treatment Technologies. 

Dr. Lee Hyder has had a large impact on South Carolina chess as both a player and organizer. Winning several local and regional tournaments, including being the Carolina's Open winner in 1970, Dr. Hyder was South Carolina State Champion a then-record seven times over a span of more than 20 years. His first state title victory came at state championship held at the Trenholm Rd. Foster School of Dance on Nov. 17-29, 1964. With a score of 4.5/5.0, bested five former SC state champions. He won the championship again in 1966 at the same location on Nov. 25-27, 1966. In 1967 he shared the state championship with Alex Edelsburg, but again won outright in 1968, those championships held at the YWCA in Columbia on December 1-3, 1967 and October 11-13, 1968, respectively. Nearly a decade later, Lee Hyder shared the title three-ways in 1975 at the state championship held at Recreation Center No. 2 in Fort Jackson, Columbia on Oct. 31-Nov. 2. His next two state championships both came at the Tremont Motor Inn (111 Knox Abbot Dr., now apartments) more than a decade apart, winning outright in 1978 on Nov. 3-5, 1978 and sharing the title three ways in 1989 on Oct. 13-15, 1989. Dr. Hyder also had some brushes with chess celebrity, drawing GM Larry Evans during a simultaneous exhibition in 1969, and has the distinction of losing both a game of chess and a game of billiards  on the same day in 1972 to former world champion Tigran Petrosian.

As an organizer, Dr. Hyder held various offices with the South Carolina Chess Association, including as president in 1968-1969 following the death of Lanneau Foster. Lee Hyder was also an extensive editor and contributor to the SC Chess Association's official publications, where he gave many game reviews, book reviews, and views on chess over the course of three decades. He also served as President of Southern Chess Association 1969-1970, US Chess Federation Regional Vice President in the early 1970s, and Secretary of the US Chess Federation in the late 1970s. He was also involved in organizing many tournaments, including the Korchnoi-Mecking Candidate's Match in Augusta in 1974. He served for more than a decade as a Trustee of the US Chess Trust and won the US Chess Federations Distinguished Service Award in 2003.

Dr. Hyder was also highly involved in his local community, teaching chess for the Aiken Recreation Department in the 1970s. He also served as a scoutmaster for the St. Thaddeus scout troop. After retirement, he was an instructor with the University of South Carolina Aiken offering computer training to older adults. He was also a board member for the Aiken County Open Land Trust and was an avid photographer, having won local awards.

Dr. Hyder passed away on November 3, 2003 and is buried at St. Thaddeus Cemetery at St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church in Aiken, SC.