Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) William Philip Drechsel, age 65, The Villages, FL, died on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 in the evening at Lady Lake Specialty Care due to complications of early onset Alzheimer’s.
Bill was born June 23, 1951, in Hackensack, New Jersey. He attended schools in New Jersey and graduated in 1969 from Columbia High School in Maplewood.
In the summer of 1969 he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Bill graduated in June, 1973. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps and received orders to Frankfurt, Germany.
Bill served 21 years in the Signal Corps and was assigned to many different units throughout the United States and Germany. He earned a Masters degree from the University of Southern California, in Operations Research and System Analysis.
He was married to Susan (Gisel) Drechsel, an Army Nurse Corps officer. They met in 1975 while they were stationed in Frankfurt, married on May 18, 1976, and were married over 40 years.
After retirement from the Army, Bill and Susan spent 19 years in Monument, CO, where they had a large circle of friends. He was a dedicated supporter of the charity Compassion International. They traveled a great deal, both in the US and abroad. He was an advanced skier and an avid golfer who maintained a low handicap. He loved music, especially Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac. In 2011 they moved to the Village of Sanibel where he enjoyed playing the championship courses of The Villages until he was affected by Alzheimer’s.
Bill is survived by his wife Susan of The Villages; his mother Joan Drechsel of Edison, NJ; siblings: Ken Drechsel of Avenel, NJ; Gary and Stacy Drechsel of Brodheadville, PA; nephews Aiden and Owen Drechsel; Joan Drechsel of Stamford, CT; and his in-laws Russell and Diane Schrage of Des Moines, IA; nieces Sara Schrage of San Francisco, CA, and Caroline (Nick) Farkouh of Telluride, CO.
A Graveside Service will be held Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.
The Drechsel family gives heartfelt thanks to the loving and caring staff of Atria Lifestyle Unit, Lady Lake Specialty Care and Cornerstone Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cornerstone Hospice Foundation – 2445 Lane Park Road, Tavares, FL 32778