Truman Dale Dressler (Dale) (T) (Dress), 68, of Baldwin City, KS passed away at his home on Monday, May 7, 2018. He was born in Leavenworth, KS on Jan. 28, 1950, to Maurice Myers and Helen Lorene Howard Dressler. He was the youngest son of three boys, growing up in Oskaloosa and McLouth. He was raised in the Methodist Church in McLouth and the The Church of God in Valley Center, KS. During his childhood, Truman played baseball and was a very effective basketball player on several church basketball teams. His Grandpa Perl gave him a passion for fishing at a very early age. It became his favorite pastime.
His family moved to Wichita when he was in grade school. He graduated from Wichita North High School in 1968. After graduating he volunteered for the Draft in hopes that he wouldn’t have to serve as long in active duty and he could pursue his other dreams. He was randomly selected to the marine Corps because they had a shortage of men. In 1969 he went to boot camp in California at Camp Pendleton. His unit was activated and he was sent to Vietnam in 1970. He requested to be assigned to the unit he trained with in boot camp. He was a member of the A company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. His unit spent most of their time in Vietnam in the Que Son Mountains in I Corps.
After returning home from Vietnam, he enrolled in college and attended Wichita State University – taking general courses for 1.5 years. He later became and over-the-road trucker, hauling chemical waste. He also worked in El Dorado at a packing house as a meat cutter.
He spent most of his adult life in Wichita and the surrounding areas. He was an avid sports fan of baseball, basketball, golf, fishing, and shooting pool. He was never married and had no children.
In the December 1970 issue of Leatherneck Marine Magazine – and article entitled Hit Hard, Hit Fast, stated that members of his unit were “expert players in any league” and “members of the most decorated battalion in the Marine Corps”. As a result of his time spent in the service to our country as an infantryman, Truman was plagued with the devastating illness of PTSD. As a result he turned to alcohol to self-medicate. His older brother Roger summed up his life, saying, “Not everyone who lost their life in Vietnam died there”.
Survivors include two brothers, Maurice Howard “Moe” Dressler and wife Fran, Jacksonville, FL, and Roger Allen Dressler and wife Norma – “Nope” as Truman referred to her, Baldwin City, and his beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his loving and faithful parents.
Graveside memorial services with United States Marine Corps military honors will be held on July 20 at 11 am at Leavenworth National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Wounded Warrior Project, in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home & Crematory, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044.
