William A. Dressen, was born March 13, 1936 on a farm near Lockhart, TX to Ernest J. Dressen & Margaret Schmidt Dressen. Soon after birth he was baptized and confirmed at the age of 13. Early in his life he felt God's call to become a pastor and upon graduation from Lockhart high school he enrolled in Texas Lutheran College in Seguin, TX. He graduated there in June 1958 then he enrolled in Wartburg theological seminary, from which he graduated in May 1962. On June 2nd 1962 he was ordained in Ebenezer Lutheran Church a country church near his home at Lockhart. His first parish was Immanuel Lutheran Church at Cole Camp & Trinity Lutheran at Stover, MO. In 1964 he received the call from the American Lutheran Church to its mission field in Cameroon West Africa. After language study he and Betty June Viebrock were married in the Lutheran Mission Chapel at Meiganga, Cameroon. Then from 1964 to 1973 they served as missionaries in Cameroon. In 1973 he was called to Faith Lutheran Church in Talmage, NE where he served until retirement in July of 2006. From 1977 to 2006 he also served Christ Lutheran Church at Delaware Precinct. In retirement he served as senior pastor for Zion Lutheran in rural Johnson and interim pastorates at Hope Lutheran Church-Burr, First Lutheran at North Branch, American Lutheran in Adams and then again at First Lutheran North Branch.

He passed away on January 12, 2015. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Ernest H. Dressen and sister Jane Denton. He is survived by his wife Betty of the home, and a number of nieces, nephews and coworkers from the missionary community and by many faithful members of the churches he served. Burial will be at St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery at Talmage, NE.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday January 15 at 10:30 A.M. at the First Lutheran Church (North Branch) located at 1434 N 30th Rd. Avoca, NE.

Memorials are suggested to in lieu of flowers to First Lutheran Church (North Branch), Mosaic (Beatrice Campus) or St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Talmage.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday January 14 from 9 A.M. until 9 P.M. with family greeting friends from 5-7 P.M. at the funeral home in Syracuse.

Arrangements By: Fusselman Allen Harvey Funeral Home, Syracuse, NE 402-269-2441