DAVID PRESSLER

PRESSLER--David A. On June 11, 2015, A longtime resident of Englewood, N.J. and recently of Sparta, N.J. He was born September 27, 1930 in West Orange, N.J. and was raised in his youth in Newark, N.J. as the only child of Sol P. Pressler and Jessie Kurtz Pressler. He was a proud graduate of the Weequahic high school following a demanding tutelage in the then exemplary Newark public schools. Thereafter he matriculated at Rutgers in New Brunswick, N.J. graduating with the esteemed Class of 1952. There he had become a champion debater and eventually head of the Freshman Debate team and among others, President of the independent students (The Scarlet Barbarians) a larger group of students adverse to the xenophobic and racial and religious economic prodivities of the Greek letter societies (also called Fraternities) which were then prominent in college social life. Following Rutgers he enrolled at the estimable Harvard law school and graduated honorably in the Class of 1955. Before that he worked as a waiter in the summers at the Hollywood Hotel in West End Long branch in its great days and in the exalted summer of 1953 he met Sylvia Brodsky. They married August 22, 1954 and moved as a married pair to Cambridge, Ma. to live in an apartment (converted cellar). After graduation in May/ June 1955 they moved to Newark. Sylvia enrolled at Rutgers law school and eventually graduated with the best record in 16 years (as usual for her, first in class 1960). David A. Pressler completed mandatory clerkship, passed the exam and was sworn in as an Attorney at Law 1956. Immediately afterward he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served for two years in Colorado and Germany. After returning to the U.S.A. he practiced law (general practice) primarily in New Jersey for 55 years. At one time he was President of the Bergen County Bar association and at the time of his death he was President of the Alumni Class of Rutgers 1952 and was a diligent supporter of Rutgers throughout his life. He was pre-deceased by his wife Sylvia and his son Noah and is survived by his daughter Jessica, grandchildren Rachael, Brandon, Isabella and step grandchild Sofia and another son David. He had a strong life until the deaths of his loved ones overwhelmed him. Services will be held at Gutterman and Musicant Jewish Funeral Directors 402 Park St. Hackensack, N.J. 07601 on Sunday June 14, 2015 at 9:30am. Shiva will be Sunday after the burial and Monday and Tuesday 7-10pm at 161 Brayton St., Englewood, N.J. Contributions in his memory may be made to Visiting Nurses Assoc., 15 Engle Street Englewood, N.J. 07631 or The Rutgers college Class of 1952 Scholarship fund.