Interview, Leonard Ressel & Howard Ressel

Leonard Ressel was born in Rochester, New York, in 1933. He grew up in the city and attended city schools, graduating from Benjamin Franklin High School. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Buffalo’s School of Pharmacy. After graduating, he was drafted for two years of military service, which he spent working as part of the Medical Corps. Following his time in the military, he worked as a pharmacist in a privately owned pharmacy until he was 43 years old, at which point he began working for CVS Pharmacy. He continued to work there until he retired in 2000, after which he continued to work part-time for several years.

Howard Ressel, Leonard’s son, was born in Rochester, New York, in 1962. He grew up in Henrietta, New York, and completed his elementary through high school education there at various local schools, ultimately graduating from Rush Henrietta High School in 1980. He completed a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of Buffalo. After graduating, he began work for the New York State Department of Transportation and has worked there for 34 years at the time of this interview.

In this interview, Leonard Ressel discusses his career, his time in the military, and how he met his wife, Howard’s mother. Howard Ressel discusses moving between schools, his work with New York State DOT, and how he met his wife. They also discuss their family history, finding distant relatives through the internet, and the 19th Ward.

See also: Interview, Leonard Ressel, Howard Ressel, & Spencer Ressel