A Houseful of Happiness
"Once you get used to it, the Minnesota cold is not so bad.....and that's why I live in Mexico today!" says the lovely Jean Lilygren-Dresslar, a lovely and gracious Swedish lady who has depended on her own choices all of her life.
Jean Lilygren was born the first of three children to Scandinavian parents who owned a Ford Car Agency in Austin, MN. She was surrounded by beauty because she lived in the timbered countryside of Minnesota! Sub-arctic forest stretches across the northern region of the state. The Great Lake's storm belt coming out of Michigan touches the eastern portion of the state while the Great Plains begin the western portion...and most of the time all three regions were cold, and Jean handled the cold like the native she was. Her great love from the beginning was nursing, possibly because hospitals are notoriously cold: year-round!
Although Jean graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Public Health nursing degree, her first commercial job was working in the Red Light district in downtown Minneapolis. Being a beautiful Swedish girl of 5'10", there were times she was invited to change professions and work with the madams. Her choice was to treat the 'ladies of the evening.' For the sake of protection from the police, most brothels were located on the second floor of old downtown buildings, so it became natural for her to step lightly between eager men who lined up on either side of any staircase she had to climb to medicate and monitor patients. It was 'touch and go' most of the time, but she loved her work.
As would happen, Jean met a handsome Air Corps cadet at the University of Minn. This was before the war, and Frank Dresslar, smitten, married her in 1944. Later, he entertained her with his adventures as a pilot in the South Pacific during WWII. His flew a C-47, moving paratroopers from base to base. Frank took Gen. Douglas MacArthur's staff to Nagasaki to survey the damage that had been done by the atom bomb. On one such flight it was required to fly over the city of Hiroshima10 days after it was leveled to only 6" above the earth on which it had stood. Fascinating though Frank's letters were, these are the things of which nightmares are made.
After Jean and Frank were married, they moved to Oregon where they had four children...and still blame these blessings on the Oregon water. Recently, Frank published his WWII memoirs. His extraordinary war experiences are registered in the Library of Congress and also housed in a Military Museum in Michigan
The Dresslars moved to Fresno, CA. Being a stay-at-home mother and housewife wasn't quite enough of a "contribution" to the world around her, so after 32 years she returned to work, and became Director of Nursing in a hospital of mixed nationalities. To this day she is still deeply touched by a quote from a Philippine hospital cook who announced,"Mrs. Dresslar, you make us all one color," which is a salute to her total lack of prejudice.
In the fall of 1983 she became the first woman to ever be appointed Chairman of the Board for the American Heart Association of California, a distinction rarely acquired during the 20th Century. During this time she was selected recipient of one of eight national Awards of Merit by this Association and the award was presented to her during the 30th National Convention in Washington, D.C. She has carried her oath of office within the Medical Profession to the point of continuing to use her nursing skills when called upon.
Even under the best of conditions retirement does face us, one and all. She had been old friends with Minnesota's Bollenbach's (Nancy and Bollie) now retired and living in Ajijic. She was a school chum of Katie Karns. A vacation visit insured the Dresslars a future relocation to sunny Mexico. On their first visit they bought a home knowing it was necessary to return to Fresno to complete her service with the Sierra Hospital Foundation. In 1992 the Dresslars retired to a new life in Mexico, living in the same dream home they bought years prior.
Retirement lasted only a few days, and within them, The Lake Chapala Society president, Denny Strole, nabbed her as Secretary of the Board asking her to direct the "Talking Books Department" which she has supervised for the last 15 years. She supervises an "Exercise Group" which she holds on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays in the LCS gazebo. In her spare time she accepted directorship of LCS' "Visitation for Shut-Ins" and helped to create the "Volunteer Health Resource Group".... four of the society's most valuable assets. She is one very busy lady.
At one time the Dresslars loved to travel and discovered Cuba as being another of earth's enchanting spots. It still remains a desire to return for a visit to that lovely Caribbean island. However, with Frank's limited mobility, Jean's mission in life is, "to take care of my beloved Frank" who is still her beau after 63 years of a happy and blessed marriage. Enjoying Lakeside as much as their parents, often the Dresslar's four children come to visit bringing with them three grandchildren and, they look forward to visits from their 4 great-grand children. This often leads to that "house full of happiness!"
