Robert Thomas (Tom) Dressler, age 84, of Marietta, Georgia passed away April 30, 2020. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Margaret Dressler, his first wife, Mattie Saul Dressler, to whom he was married for 47 years, and his second wife, Gloria, only six hours before him. Tom was born in Hinton, WV and raised in East Bank, WV, where he graduated from East Bank High School before moving on to earn his degree in Electrical Engineering at West Virginia Institute of Technology, where he held the distinction of being the first graduate from their EE program to graduate with the highest honors the Institute could bestow.
Tom and Mattie moved to Pittsburgh, PA upon his graduation and Tom would work for Westinghouse for the next 41 years. He was well known in the nuclear power generation field and instrumental in the refueling of the USS Enterprise and other military warships. He also participated in early investigation of both hydroelectric and solar power. As a young Junior Engineer, his first assignment was to wire the Control Panels of the US's first nuclear power plant in Shippingport, PA. Tom's grandchildren would say "He was never far from his mechanical pencil."
Tom enjoyed the fellowship of several Baptist and Methodist churches during the course of his life, where he lent his rich baritone voice to choirs, quartets, as a soloist and in church holiday pageants. He was also known to pull his trumpet out occasionally, which he had played in the High School Marching Band, to accompany the organist during Sunday worship services. As his surviving sister-in-law, Agnes Saul Wooters would say, “He was a good Christian man who was loyal to his faith.”
Tom also had a competitive side and was quite active in a number of sports, including softball, golf, tennis, horseshoes and could play a mean game of badminton!
Tom’s survivors include his daughter, Judi Daniels of Atlanta, GA, his son, Jeff Dressler and his wife Judy Dressler of Pittsburgh, PA, 6 grandchildren, Rob Daniels, Becky Daniels Morgan, Reanna Daniels Shirley, Sarah Dressler Rothermel, Chuck Dressler, Ben Dressler and 17 wonderful great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Janet Dressler Davis, who lives in the State of Washington, and Gwen Dressler Woody, who lives in Falls Church, VA.
Tom is now dancing with Mattie in heaven, at least they will be once she has the opportunity to straighten a few things out with him! They are both loved and missed!