Obituary of William Ernest Nessler III

William E. Nessler, III (Bill, 73), beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend, from Bryn Mawr, PA passed away on June 30^th, surrounded by his loving family.

Bill was born in Philadelphia, PA. He was the second child of William E. Nessler, Jr and Sarah Jane Nessler. Bill grew up in Havertown, graduated from Haverford High School, and earned his Bachelor’s degree and MBA from Drexel University where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Bill’s professional career focused on high level human resource management that spanned decades with various companies including Burroughs Corp., Unisys, and Granatt Human Resources.

Bill married his high school sweetheart, Linda D. Nessler, and together they raised their four children in Fort Washington, PA. The Nessler family was active in the Upper Dublin community. Bill never missed a swim meet, dance recital, lacrosse game, or art show. The family valued being together for nightly dinners, spending time at Ocean City, NJ beaches, and participating in extended family gatherings. He was the family’s lawn care technician, gardener, handyman, and grill master. When he had a moment to himself, Bill enjoyed reading, being a news junkie, and engaging with nature - especially while fly fishing, wildlife viewing, and beach walking. Bill took pride in watching his children grow and form families of their own. He had an empathetic listening ear and acted as a sounding board, offering advice, unconditional love, and support.

After Linda’s passing in 2008, Bill met Sherrin H. Baky while attending the Mummers Parade with mutual friends on New Year’s Day 2012. Bill and Sherrin developed a loving relationship and married on October 25, 2015. Bill was a devoted and attentive husband to Sherrin. They enjoyed traveling across the country and world. Sherrin documented their travels with beautiful photos that captured the special times they shared together. Bill and Sherrin were fond of socializing with their many friends and Bill’s engaging personality was experienced by all. The limitless kindness he extended to friends and family, as well as those he encountered during his daily interactions, was a much-admired trait. Bill and Sherrin were passionate supporters of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Gettysburg College, and various other philanthropies. Bill and Sherrin kept one another laughing and embraced the phrase “Carpe Diem,” which truly guided their time together.

Bill’s grandchildren were his joy. One could not have a conversation with Bill without his mentioning at least one of his ten grandchildren. Upon meeting a newborn grandchild for the first time, Bill would be dressed in a shirt and tie to ensure he made a good first impression. It worked! He became their adored “Pop.” He cherished his time as a grandfather while attending plays, sporting events, dance recitals, and Grandparents Day at schools. Pop was known for sending thoughtful postcards and letters, as well as having the sweetest telephone conversations with the children. He found them all extraordinarily interesting in their own, unique ways. He made a profound, loving impression on all his grandchildren and will be dearly missed and forever remembered.

Bill is preceded in death by his first wife, Linda D. Nessler (nee Kessler), and his parents, William E. Nessler, Jr and Sarah Jane Nessler.

He is survived by: his wife, Sherrin; his sisters Sallie Ann Feeney (Michael), and Nancy Nessler (Carlo Ciabattoni); four children, Kristoffer W. Nessler (Katie), Kathryn I. Kelly (Sean), Sarah E. Rimmele (Zack), and Bethany L. Golebiewski (Brian); ten grandchildren, Maya Nessler, Kevin, Caroline, Brendan, and Olivia Kelly, Axel and Anna Rimmele, and Clare, Deacon, and Rhys Golebiewski, ages 3 to 11.

A service will be held on Tuesday, July 11^th, at St. Philip Neri Church in Lafayette Hill at 11am with visitation beginning at 9:30am.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to Lankenau Medical Center (https://www.mainlinehealth.org/locations/lankenau-medical-center), Valley Forge Park Alliance (https://vfparkalliance.org/), or the Philadelphia Orchestra Association (https://www.philorch.org).