Lt. Col. Arthur Lawrence Dressler (1919-2007)
DRESSLER, FRADY, HUGHES, NORMAN, STEPHENSON, BLAKENEY
Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 2/17/2007 at 08:46:34
THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, February 15, 2007.
Nov. 3, 1919-Feb. 12, 2007
Lt. Col. Arthur Lawrence Dressler, U.S. Air Force (retired), veteran of World War II in the Pacific and a long and distinguished career in the service of his country, died Monday, Feb. 12, at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, after a brief illness. He died peacefully, with family at his bedside and music that he loved playing in the room. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 17, at Adams Funeral Home in Ames, with Pastor Greg Boyle officiating. Burial will be in Ames Municipal Cemetery.
Col. Dressler was born Nov. 3, 1919, in the small farming community of Brunswick, Neb. He attended local public schools, graduating from high school in 1937. Afterwards, he worked in a bank in Wayne, Neb., and briefly attended Wayne State Teachers' College there. He married Marjorie June Frady, of Neligh, Neb., in 1941.
Following Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private in January 1942. After graduating with honors from Officer Candidate School, he was assigned to the 26th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron to train for action in the Pacific war. Initially, he was stationed at Peterson Field in Colorado Springs, Colo. In October 1943, the 26th shipped out from San Francisco, with young Lt. Dressler serving as adjutant, to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where the unit fought in the campaign to liberate New Guinea and the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
After the war, Capt. Dressler was stationed in Colorado, California and Oklahoma before moving to northern Virginia in December 1947, where he was assigned to the Office of Special Investigations (OSI). He remained with OSI until he retired in 1970.
In 1951, Maj. Dressler was transferred to Germany, and the family joined him there in 1952. Lt. Col. Dressler was posted to Hickam AFB, Honolulu, Hawaii, from 1959 to 1962. The family lived at Wheeler AFB, Wahiawa, Hawaii, from 1960-62, afterwards returning once again to live in northern Virginia. From 1965 until his retirement, Colonel Dressler served with great distinction as OSI district commander in Harrisburg, Pa.; Paris, France; London, England; and Griffis AFB, Rome, N.Y.
Throughout his career, he commanded the highest respect and admiration from colleagues, subordinates and superiors alike. He had a well-earned reputation for maintaining an exceptional standard of personal honesty and integrity. Awards, decorations and citations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Southwest Pacific Theater Ribbon with seven battle stars, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, an Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster, a Presidential Unit Citation, and the Air Force Longevity Service Award with four oak leaf clusters.
His son, David, followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Air Force in 1969. He was sworn in by his dad and served his country in Vietnam as a military police sergeant and perimeter guard at Pleiku AFB.
Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1970, he relocated to Iowa, where he worked for many years as security and safety director at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.
In his personal life, he was a warm and caring, gentle and kind, highly intelligent but unpretentious man, much loved by family and friends. Even casual acquaintances recognized in him a special quality of simple, open friendliness. Children were instinctively drawn to him. He was an avid golfer and cribbage player, an expert woodworker and a lover of books and music, especially opera. All his life he had a wonderful singing voice, eagerly joining in song with others whenever he could.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Mary Greeley Medical Center for their high standard of compassionate care, and also the staff and residents of Bickford Cottage for the love they have shown to colonel and Mrs. Dressler.
He is survived by his wife, June; one sister, Ruth Hughes, of Poulsbo, Wash.; one daughter, Diane Dressler (Bob DeMarco), of Florence, Vt.; four sons, Joel, of Seattle, Wash.; David (Patty), of Royal Oak, Mich.; Patrick (Mary Weisgram), of Ames; Richard (Cindy O'Connell), of Des Moines; and five grandchildren, Matthew and Emily Dressler, Anne Dressler, and Brian and Erin DeMarco.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Gertrude; and five sisters, Eva Dressler, Marcia Dressler, Mary Norman, Edna Stephenson and Lela Blakeney.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 pm, Friday, Feb. 16, at Adams Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a gift in Col. Dressler's name to Save the Children.
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