The Reverend Merrill Q. Ressler, 91, passed peacefully at his home in Tilden Township on Wednesday, April 2. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth C. (Long) Ressler.
Merrill was born August 3, 1922, in Ontelaunee Township, the son of Queen Miriam (Hemerly) Ressler and Quentin Merrill Ressler. He graduated from Perry Township High School in 1940 as class valedictorian. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942-43 and worked for Frank C. Swoyer Feed Mill in Hamburg and Bethel.
Merrill and Elizabeth married in 1946 and raised their two children while Merrill pursued degrees at Franklin & Marshall College and Lancaster Theological Seminary. He graduated from both in 1957 and went on to become a pastor for the United Church of Christ. He served at Berks churches including Zion (Spies) UCC near Reading from 1960 to 1973 and Frieden's Union Church in Shartlesville from 1973 to 1987.
After his "retirement" in 1987, he served as supply pastor for a number of churches in Berks and Schuylkill counties, most recently as visitation pastor at St. Paul's UCC Church, Fleetwood. He served as chaplain at Laurel Center, Hamburg, from 1993 to 2010.
He was a well-known speaker of Pennsylvania German and a longtime member of the Berks County Fersommling Rawd.
As a teen, Merrill kept a herd of goats on the patch of land he shared with his mother. Thus began a lifetime love of animals. He always had at least one cat, and he supported many animal rescue causes. He was also a strong advocate for peace and social justice, and an avid gardener and traveler.
Along with Elizabeth, he is survived by his son, Jay Ressler and wife, Martha, Hamburg; daughter Dawn and husband, Gerald O'Brien, Hamburg; granddaughters Molly O'Brien-Foelsch, Milton, and Katy O'Brien-Connell, Richmond, VA; half-brothers John Ressler of Palm Springs, CA, and Thomas Ressler of Battle Ground, WA; and cats Fergie and Gypsy.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, April 6, at 4 p.m. at St. Paul's UCC Church, 5 West Arch Street, Fleetwood. A visitation with the family will begin at 3 p.m. Burial will be private in St. John's (Gernant's) Cemetery, Ontelaunee Twp. Arrangements are being made by Leibensperger Funeral Homes, Inc., Hamburg. For online condolences, please visit, www.leibenspergerfuneralhomes.com.
