Notes:
Easton Express, Friday Sept 23, 1966, Page 1
Kenneth F. Kressler, 71, Civic Leader, Dies
Kenneth F. Kressler chairman of the Northampton County Republican
Committee for 23 years and an outstanding figure in city, county
and state political circles, died at 9 p.m. yesterday in Easton
Hospital.
He was in ill health the last six months and was admitted
to the hospital Sept. 15 from his home, 532 Cattell St.
Mr. Kressler was president of Kressler, Wolff & Miller,
Inc., an Easton Insurance firm and of the Kressler, Wolff & Miller
Acceptance Corp. and the Northampton Consumer Discount Co.
All have offices at 42 S. 3rd St. Mr. Kressler and Herman
D. Wolff founded the firm as Kressler and Wolff in 1923.
He was chairman of the Northampton County Republican Committee
for 23 years until he stepped down in 1956. He served on the
state Republican Executive Committee starting in 1928.
Active in Community.
In addition to his political activities, Mr. Kressler took
a leading part in affairs of the community and Lafayette College.
He was veteran of World War I.
Mr. Kressler served two terms on the Easton City Council from
1920 to 1928. He was the youngest man elected to the commission
for city government in the state.
He served as Northampton County clerk of orphans' court from
1928 to 1930. He ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in
1954. That was his first try for elective office since his
terms on the council. His court position came through an appointment.
He was campaign chairman for then U.S. Sen. James H. Duff
and John S. Fine's gubernatorial bid in 1950 and managed the
primary campaign of the late James J. Davis for governor in
1942.
Mr. Kressler was president of the Easton Area Chamber of Commerce
in 1965, having been vice president in 1964. He was a director
of its Industrial Promotion Division.
Headed DIG Campaign
He headed the successful 1965 fund campaign of the new Downtown
Improvement Group. The drive exceeded the $82,000 goal.
Born in Easton March 17, 1895, Mr. Kressler attended Easton
school and the Lerch Preparatory School. He was graduated from
Lafayette College in 1920 with a degree of Bachelor of philosophy.
A member of the class of 1918, his college study had been interrupted
by World War I.
He served in a volunteer ambulance unit with the 20th French
Division and received the Croix de Guerre, awarded for gallant
action in war.
Organized Post
After the war he became an organizer of Brown and Lynch American
Legion Post 9, Easton and was elected its first commander.
He had been present at the organization of the American Legion
in Paris.
In civic affairs, Mr. Kressler was chairman of Easton Hospital
fund campaigns in 1929 and 1945 and headed the memorial subscription
committee for the $650,000 hospital drive of 1959. He was a
leader in formation of the Easton Area United Fund and in its
campaigns. He headed the New Era drive for Lafayette in 1946.
He was a leader in the effort to win community support for
the drive of the Easton Emergency Squad to raise funds for
it's new building on Packer Street.
Top Trouble Shooter
Among fund raisers in the various civic campaigns in which
he had a part, Mr. Kressler was known as a trouble shooter
extraordinary. He knew where and to whom to go to to get the
dollars that would put a drive over the top. Most of this work
was done without fanfare and only those who were conducting
the drive knew who had raised the necessary funds.
His awards and honors in recent years included: the Benjamin
Rush Award for Northampton County Medical Society in 1962 for
lay contributions to public health; the distinguished citizen's
award from the Easton Area Sales and Marketing Executives in
1953;
Also, the 1964 distinguished service award of the Lafayette
College Alumni Association; the 1965 "Service to Mankind" award
of the Easton Seratoma Club; a Masonic award presented last
year by Dallas Lodge 396, F&AM; awards from the Phillipsburg
Exempt Firemen's Association and the Four-County Firemen's
Association in 1965, and a medal from the fundraising firm
of Marts & Lundy for outstanding leadership in philanthropic
enterprises.
He donated to Lafayette College a collection of 40 works by
the English poet, William Black, in 1958 through the Ralph
C. Hutchison Foundation.
Cut Red Tape
Mr. Kressler knew how to cut the red tape in bureaucratic
government. He mad many trips to the state capital at his own
expense to help distraught citizens mixed up with governmental
bureaus. He lavished his favors on both Democrats and Republicans.
He was selfless in his personal charity, giving to institutions
of all faiths and creeds. He had no favorite charity. He considered
only the best interests of the community.
Mr. Kressler was county chairman for a 1953 drive for the
Crusade for Freedom. He was a board member of the Pennsylvania
Citizens Association for Health and Welfare.
He was appointed in 1960 to the board of trustees of Moravian
Seminary for Girls, Green Pond.
Primarily interested in the sales aspect of business, that
interest highlighted his career in the real estate, insurance
and finance fields. In particular, Mr. Kressler had long been
recognized by experts in the field of surety bonding to be
one of the leading writers of road and building construction
contract bonds.
Mr. Kressler was a member of the First United Church of Christ.
He was a son of the late William J. and Gertrude Kressler.
He was married in 1939 to the former Elizabeth Bloom.
Survivors include a brother, John of Easton, a teacher at
Easton Area Junior High School, and three sisters, Virginia,
wife of William Cain, Manchester N.H., and Mrs. Anna K. Hall
and Mrs. Elizabeth Wolff both of Easton.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the First
United Church of Christ. The Shillinger Funeral Home is in
charge of arrangements.
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