This past week we lost a great friend and long time Lightning sailor, Dan Dressel. Dan lived a full life with many friends through his church and extended family. Dan leaves behind a beautiful family with his wife Kim and daughters Sarah, Andrea and Emma. Dan was 61 years old and became paralyzed 3 years ago after a cardiovascular procedure developed a hematoma in his spine that ultimately paralyzed him.
Dan was a wonderful father and husband; he was a star athlete and outstanding scholar in high school, graduating at the top of his class. He received a full scholarship to Notre Dame and then went on to Duke for his MBA. Dan then began a very successful career at Anderson Consulting. I knew Dan his entire life; he was one of the kindest individuals I have ever known - I never heard him say a negative word. He weathered through health issues in the last 3 years with grace and kindness to everyone around him. He kept an incredibly positive attitude and was always more concerned with those around him.
Dan’s parents are Jim and Nancy Dressel, who were one of the top Lightning competitors in the 60s, 70s and 80s. This has been a tough loss for Jim and Nancy but they have a strong and close group of friends and family to help them navigate these times.
Dan sailed in almost 10 Lightning North Americans, often with his sisters, Amy and Kathy. Dan won the 1977 Sears Cup in Lightnings sailing with Will Petersilge. He steered in the Seattle NAs and qualified and sailed in the 1985 Little Egg Harbor Worlds. He sailed Bonnie Shore and me in the 1979 North Americans. As Dan grew his family and his successful career, he sailed less but his heart still had connections to the Lightning class.
My memories with Dan go back all 61 of Dan’s years as the Fisher and Dressel families have always been close and we all somewhat grew up together at Buckeye Lake. We did 4th of July boat parades, OSU football games, Dan’s basketball games and dinner together most nights of every regatta we attended. Dan was a wonderful person and we will all miss him tremendously.
Matt Fisher
14045 photo 1987 Miami Midwinter Championship: Will Petersilge skipper with crew Dan Dressel and Abby Ruhlman. Nickels, Dressel and Faude photo from the Red Flannels 1987.
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