Dorothy Dressler

Dorothy Dressler was born in 1941 in Vancouver, British Columbia, the middle of three children to Grace and Merton Kridler. Her family moved extensively when she was a girl, First to Portland, Oregon, then various places in Northern California, before finally settling in Southern California.

Dottie was the first member of her family to go to college. She studied nursing, and worked in hospitals in the Los Angeles area. It was there that she met her life partner, Joshua Dressler, who was working as an orderly on her floor. They met in 1969, married a few months later, and were together for over 55 years. Together, they raised their one son, David, who was born in 1973.

Though she began her working life as a nurse, Dottie eventually became a stay-at-home mother for David. Once he was old enough to go to school, she found a new passion: Jewish education. She started as a religious school teacher at Temple Emanu-El, outside Detroit, but was eventually offered the position of Director of Jewish Education. She ultimately earned a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education, and worked as a Jewish educator of a temple in Limo, OH, and for the Holocaust Education Council. While working for the Council, she designed a curriculum in which she would travel from school to school with a trunk full of Holocaust-related items, like period clothing, burned books, giving students a chance to learn with their eyes and their fingers, instead of just their ears.

In recent years, slowed by a genetic illness that impacted her lung and liver function, Dottie retired from education, and spent time with her beloved husband, her son, and her grandchildren. She died peacefully at home on December 6th, 2024, while under hospice care.

She will be remembered most for her kindness and generosity. Her husband often called her “The Giving Tree,” after the character from the Shel Silverstein children’s book, because her capacity for giving of herself was nearly endless.

She leaves behind her husband, Joshua; her son, David (Jessica); and her grandchildren Riven, age 20, Maya, age 19, Gabriella, age 10, and Dean, age 7 (though he would insist he’s 7 and a half).

Modest to the end, when Dottie was asked how she should be remembered, she replied, “She lived and she died.” But those who knew her will remember her for much, much more.

Funeral Service will be held at 2:00pm, Sunday, December 8 at Temple Israel, 3100 E Broad Street, Columbus with interment to follow at New Temple Israel Cemetery. Shiva will be at the home of Ruth and Perry Silverman on Sunday, December 8 from 6:30 to 8:00 with service at 6:30pm.