William J. "Bill" Ress

William J. “Bill” Ress, age 78, a longtime resident of Tuscora Ave. N.W. in New Philadelphia, died peacefully Saturday evening, July, 20, 2019, following a brief illness.

Born October 6, 1940, in Dover, he was a son of the late Robert W. and Dorothy M. Herzig Ress. Bill graduated in 1958 from New Philadelphia High School and went on to attend North Texas State University, earning his bachelor’s degree in business. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

A lifelong loyal Republican, Bill was elected to a New Philadelphia ward council seat in 1970, and thus began a career in public service that would span five decades. Always a fiscal conservative, Bill was part of the Reagan wave of Republicans swept into state and national offices in 1980 when he won election to the Ohio Senate representing the 30th district. In 1982, Bill launched a write-in campaign for the U.S. Senate, following the sudden death of Republican nominee John Ashbrook. Bill earned the endorsement of the Ashbrook family, as the standard-bearer of the late senator’s conservative legacy. While ultimately unsuccessful, he earned national recognition for his efforts, earning endorsements from many well-known members of the GOP, and the National Conservative Political Action Committee. Bill was elected Tuscarawas County Commissioner in November, 2000, defeating his incumbent challenger by more than a 2-1 margin.

Aside from his public service, Bill was the owner of the former Liberty Furniture, a downtown fixture in New Philadelphia, for many years. He was a lifelong member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, New Philadelphia, and belonged to New Philadelphia’s Rotary Club and Elks Lodge, as well as the National Rifle Association. Bill will be deeply missed by his family, neighbors and many friends who reveled in his story-telling, good humor and patriotism.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Ann Ashleman Ress; his three sons, Greg (Jen) and Doug (Ulla) Ress, both of New Philadelphia, and Ryan (Adrian Kastner) Ress of Fort Myers, Florida; his four granddaughters, Reagan, Rachel, Julia and Kaylee Ress; and his cousins, with whom he was very close, Patricia Giannos, Dianne Gibbs and Jerry Froman.

Friends are invited to call at the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory, Dover, on Tuesday, July 23, 5 - 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held Wednesday, July 24, at 11 a.m. in the funeral home. Burial will be in New Philadelphia’s Evergreen Burial Park. Following the committal, there will be a luncheon in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center on the Boulevard in Dover.

Flowers are welcome. Memorial contributions may be made to the Tuscarawas County Humane Society, 1432 Tall Timber Rd. N.E., or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 1100 N., Bethesda, Maryland 20814.