Caroline Dressler

Caroline Louise Dressler, 79, of Pocahontas passed away Monday, Oct. 11, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

She was born April 11, 1931, in Omaha, Neb., daughter of Walter John and Elsie Marie Marquardt Hartwig. Caroline met her husband, Robert Herman Dressler, at the Walther League in Los Angeles. They were married Feb. 20, 1954, in Los Angeles, and they were blessed with four children. Robert passed away Dec. 18, 2007.

The couple first resided in Los Angeles, where Caroline worked as a key punch operator for the city of Los Angeles. When they moved to Edwardsville, Ill., she worked as a clerk for the Edwardsville Intelligencer Newspaper, and then 29 years as a secretary for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Foundation in St. Louis.

She moved to Pocahontas in July 2009 and resided with her daughter and son-in-law. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Shawneetown, its Lutheran Women's Missionary League Ladies Aid. She was a former member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville.

Loving survivors include three children, the Rev. Steven Lynn (Linda) Dressler of Altenburg, Mo., Donald William (Stavra) Dressler of Edwardsville, Karen Marie (the Rev. Robert) Mann of Pocahontas; 11 grandchildren, Nancy (Delbert) Blackard of St. Louis, Robert Dressler of Cape Girardeau, Kelly Dressler of Linn, Kan., Lindsey, Lauren, Lendon, Leighanna Dressler of Edwardsville, Brian Mann of Bryant, Ark., Christina Mann of St. Louis, Eric Douglas and Richard Alexander Dressler of Chandler, Ariz.; a great-grandson, Steven Blackard of St. Louis; a sister-in-law, Regina Salcido; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Richard Douglas Dressler; her parents; and an infant brother, Vernon Hartwig.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, and from 9 a.m. until time of service Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Shawneetown.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the church, with her son, the Rev. Steven Dressler, officiating. A committal service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Glen Carbon, Ill., with the Rev. Martin Springer officiating.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Trinity Lutheran Church at Shawneetown, Trinity Lutheran Church at Altenburg, or Trinity Lutheran Church at Edwardsville.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.