Patricia Lander Ressler

Patricia Lander Ressler passed away peacefully on April 14, 2023, at home following a brief illness. She was surrounded by her loving family. Pat was born on August 29, 1957, in Lancaster, and was the daughter of the late Robert H. and Juanita Turnage Lander. She was the beloved wife and high school sweetheart of Jeffrey C. Ressler with whom she shared almost 48 years of marriage. Their first three years of marriage they lived in Germany while Jeff served in the Army. Pat loved to travel and go on adventures and especially loved doing so with her husband. Their favorite thing to do together was snorkel in the Caribbean. They have snorkeled in the Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Thomas, St. John, Grand Cayman, and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. They also snorkeled off the Florida Keys. Their adventures included twice serving as part of a sailing crew on old schooners in New England, once out of Camden, Maine and the other in Mystic, CT., a high adventure whale watching cruise on a zodiac boat off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and sailing off Nantucket, Massachusetts. They rode a biplane in Kitty Hawk, NC., and a sea plane down in the Florida Keys, along with several helicopter rides in places such as Niagara Falls and Grand Cayman. She recently started glamping (camping in style) and had numerous trips set up to do so with her husband.

Pat retired in August 2022 from the Office of Admissions at Franklin and Marshall College where she worked for 19 years. Though having never gone to college herself, she helped numerous high school seniors over the years achieve that dream.

Pat also enjoyed the seashore, visiting lighthouses and conquering her fear of heights by climbing to the top. She was extremely interested in genealogy having done extensive family tree research of both her family and her husband Jeff’s family history. Pat was a devoted and loving mother and grandmother.  When her children were growing up, she was very involved in their schools and athletic programs.  She served as PTO President and as the head of the St. Joe CCD program.

Pat was a long-time member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, but since June 2022 began attending and became a member of St. James Episcopal Church. She enjoyed long distance walking and typically walked 5 miles a day. Usually on the weekends those walks included longer destinations such as walking to Lititz, Strasburg, New Holland, Columbia, Marietta, Safe Harbor, and Sam Louis State Park in York County. Of course, Saturdays always included a walk to Central Market from her house to enjoy an Oola bowl. Her longest walk ever was as recently as October when she walked 27 miles at the Jersey shore from Sea Isle City, NJ and ending in Sunset Beach Cape May.

Along with her husband she is survived by a son Kevin J. Ressler (Sarah), a daughter Dr. Julie R. Lehr (Ryan), grandchildren Johanna Lehr, Maddox Lehr, and Fiona Ressler, a sister Juanita Lander, nephew Daniel Rubinstein (Christy) and niece Sarah Wright (Kristopher). She was proceeded in Death by her parents and sister Roberta J. Lander.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at St. James Episcopal Church, 119 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602 on Friday, April 21, 2023 at 10:00 am.  A visitation will occur the evening prior, Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at DeBord Snyder Funeral Home & Crematory, 141 E. Orange St., Lancaster, PA 17602 as well as at the church on Friday from 9:00 am until the time of the service.   To view the service virtually, please click the following link:

https://www.saintjameslancaster.org/

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to:  CJD Foundation at

https://cjdfoundation.org/donate

, Alzheimer’s Association at

https://www.alz.org/nca/donate

or to Hospice & Community Care, 685 Good Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601  To leave an online condolence for the family, please visit:

www.DeBordSnyder.com