During his 19-year tenure at WKU, Richard Dressler covered many subjects as an associate professor for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department.

Dressler, who served as the department chair of the WKU Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, died on Dec. 8 at age 68.

One of Dressler’s graduate students was Leigh Anne Roden, who is currently a clinical associate professor for the Communication Sciences and Disorders department.

“We all loved his classes because he was brilliant, witty, funny, and so laid back,” Roden said in a Facebook post.

Allison Hatcher, a clinical associate professor for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, was also taught by Dressler at WKU.

“He was a great professor and I remember everyone liking his classes very much,” Hatcher said in an email.

Roden began working with Dressler as a faculty member in 2013.

“He quickly became a friend and mentor to me, but he was always Dr. Dressler because of the level of respect I had for him,” Roden said.

Lauren Bland, an associate professor for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department and the department’s graduate program director, appreciated Dressler’s contributions in the workplace.

“Whether a student crisis or policy issue, he calmly guided our department to a solution,” Bland said in an email. “His use of humor and wit helped all of us to see the bigger picture: serving students and our profession.”

Hatcher and Roden said they will miss Dressler and the qualities he displayed on The Hill.

“His leadership, dedication to this department and students, sense of humor, and easy-going personality will be sorely missed,” Hatcher said.

“To say he will be greatly missed is an understatement,” Roden said.

Dressler is survived by his wife, Christine Dressler; children, Shaina Smith, Jada Mowles, Danny Dressler, Lindsey Osborne, and Christian Osborne; six grandchildren; and brother, Boyd Dressler.

Leo Bertucci can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @leober2chee.