Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

October 29, 2025

CHARLOTTE – Steven “Steve” Gene Dresser, 74, of Charlotte, North Carolina, fell asleep in the Lord after a brief illness on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia, NC surrounded by family.

Born on September 29, 1951, in Rochelle, Illinois to the late Gene Crill Dresser and Evelyn (Mellor) Dresser, Steve was raised on a small farm in Stillman Valley, Illinois, where he formed a strong work ethic and love for animals and horticulture that stayed with him throughout his life.

Following a year’s stint as a horseback trail guide in Colorado, Steve began his career as a textile service engineer with Barber Colman in his early twenties.  He later spent more than two decades with textile machinery company Ira L. Griffin Sons, lnc., remaining through its acquisition in 2008 by Karl Meyer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH, and he retired from the company in 2024. His work took him across the globe, from South America to Europe, North Africa, and Asia — including countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Egypt, India, and China — where he worked to install or troubleshoot industrial textile equipment.  Among colleagues and customers, Steve was respected and regarded as an expert in his field.  A polyglot, he was conversational in several languages, fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, and was often asked by native speakers which Latin American country he was from.  He had encyclopedic knowledge and proficiency in many subjects, especially gardening, birding, woodworking, gourmet French cooking, athletics, and trivia.  Steve enjoyed games of all types, particularly crosswords, word games, and jigsaw puzzles.  He rarely missed an episode of Jeopardy.

Steve married his loving wife, Dawn Rimmer, on January 19, 1985, and together they made their home in Charlotte, NC, where they raised their four children.  Their home has long been a gathering place for family, where Steve was always ready to lead tours of his quarter-acre garden, and where Dawn continues to welcome their children and grandchildren to share meals and memories.  Steve could always be found at their piano recitals, band concerts, and ball games over the years.

Steve is survived by his wife, Dawn; mother, Evelyn; daughters, Carrie (Jon) Dulin and Johanna (Trey) Riley; sons, Seth (Sarah) and Ben (Mary); grandchildren, Caleb (Ava), Abigail, David, Evangeline, Lila, Sophia, Theodora, Abel, Stylianos, and Hermione; godson, Matt (Layla) Strothoff; sisters, Marcia Strothoff and Marlene (Daryl) Carter; brother, Stewart (Sandra), and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his father, Gene and his sister, Marceil (John) Carey.  Steve will be fondly remembered for his strong and charismatic presence, fun-loving and often dry sense of humor, and for his engrossing storytelling. He will be deeply missed.

Funeral Services will be held at 12:30 PM on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church.  The family will receive friends at the church beginning at 11:30 AM until the time of the service. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn East Cemetery in Matthews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be offered in memory of Steve to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 and St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church, 5108 Kuykendall Road, Charlotte, NC 28270.

May His Memory Be Eternal.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606.  Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.