Dick Hansler’s 100th Birthday

A Message from Dr. Richard Hansler:

I’ve always been very lucky.

This was certainly true during WWII. I had enlisted in the Army Air Corp where I was the navigator on a B17 bomber. On our 25th mission, we were shot down. I finished the war fighting with the Polish underground army.

Again, I was very lucky when I enrolled at Capital University and met my wife Wanda. The day before my 100th birthday, we are celebrating our 75^th wedding anniversary. We are very lucky having four children of whom we are very proud. I obtained a PhD in physics from Ohio State. I loved the 43-year career I had doing research for GE Lighting. I never had a dog day. I also enjoyed my 20 years at John Carroll University as director of the Lighting Innovations Institute. In the past 10 years I’ve written 10 books about how light affects both sleep and health. Profits from the sale of my books will go to Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM.)

Several years ago, a number of GE scientists and engineers began having lunch together. We started calling ourselves the Nela Nerds. In connection with my 100th birthday some of the Nela Nerds said they wanted to donate to my favorite charity. I immediately said a gift to LMM would be wonderful since I was one of the founders in 1969.

Following the murder of John Kennedy and the retirement of President Johnson there was a great deal of despair in the black community. Black Soldiers were being killed in Vietnam in disproportionate numbers. In 1963 there were riots including one in the Hough area of Cleveland. There was concern about the upheaval in the community. The Lutheran Pastors Association met to discuss what the church’s response should be.

They called Rev. Richard Sering to come and study the situation and make recommendations. In 1969, he was called to become the executive director of LMM. Over the years. a large variety of direct services programs were developed. Advocacy that deals with the source of some of the problems in the greater Cleveland area is an important part of LMM’s approach.

I am most impressed with a fairly new program called Chopping for Change. They provide pre-release workforce development training and behavioral health services for men and women in the criminal justice system.

I am very pleased that my 100th birthday can be used to raise funds for LMM. Wanda, my wife, has also been active in programs with LMM, including taking our dog to visit the men at the homeless shelter.

With appreciation,

Dick Hansler