Joe Drennan
Staff Writer

Dresel Contracting founder Richard Dresel died Monday, Feb. 6, 2006 at the age of 80.

Dresel was born June 6, 1926 in North Branch where he was raised. He later moved to Forest Lake in 1947 when he married Ann Hopkins.

Dresel had met his wife when she was a waitress at the old Wagnerís Hamburger Shop in Forest Lake.

Working as a truck driver for Ruan, Dresel and his wife had seven children.

While working for Ruan Dresel bought an orange single axle dump truck and a small tractor loader in the early 1960s and started Dresel Trucking part-time.

ìHe started the family business as a hobby business and it took off,î Dreselís son Bruce said.

After spending 20 years working for Ruan, Dresel retired to work full time on his own business. At about the time Dresel focused his attentions on his business, his sons were old enough to join him in the family business and they moved the shop from Dreselís home to an office located at 24044 July Ave. on the south end of town where it still is today.

As the company continued to grow the name changed to Dresel Contracting and Dresel purchased Dresel Aggregate of Moose Lake with his children.

When he wasnít working Dresel enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, snowmobiling and traveling. He was also a member of the Forest Lake Fire Department for 20 years.

Dresel was preceded in death by his wife Ann, son Michael and daughter Cheryl.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13, at St. Peterís Catholic Church, 1250 South Shore Drive, Forest Lake, with visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery. The family request friends to direct condolences through Mattson Funeral Home.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605