RICHFIELD SPRINGS - Richard P. Sessler, 72, passed away at home with his family by his side Monday, June 29, 2009, after a valiant battle with bile duct cancer. Dick was the son of Arthur and Hilda Sessler of Syracuse, where he graduated from Central High School. He is a graduate of University of Central Florida. Dick retired from the Air Force as a major after a distinguished career spanning 23 years. He was one of six chosen to participate in the Air Force's Space Program as a mission specialist. He went on tobecome a radar navigator on B-52 bombers, and proudly served his country in several tours of duty in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Dick was later employed at Martin Marietta and SUNY IT before becoming the executive director of the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees in Utica. Mr. Sessler's compassion and dedication resulted in the agency becoming one of the most successful in the United States resettling over 10,000 refugees from around the world. He was recognized in Congress by Honorable Sherwood Boehlert for his leadership in the resettlement of refugees. After Dick's retirement, he and his wife, Harriet, restored an 1840s one-room schoolhouse and an 1846 church and opened SweetTooth SchoolHouse, a small bakery and cafe in Pleasant Brook. The Sesslers purchased and restored a third building in Richfield Springs and moved their business to its current location and named it SweetTooth Cafe. Many happy times were had in this business and many friendships were made in this most perfect retirement project. Dick was the past president of the Richfield Springs Lion's Club, the past secretary of the Richfield Springs Chamber of Commerce and a former board member of the Canadarago Lake Association. He and Harriet loved to dance and were former members of the Patricians Dance Club. Thanks to Gina and Luca Esposito for teaching them the finer points of ballroom dancing, especially the hustle! Dick is survived by his wife, Harriet McNamara Sessler; his daughter, Marlissa, of Dallas, Texas; his son, Bill, of Rome; and his mother, Hilda West, of Syracuse. He also leaves his stepdaughters and their families, Trisha, Mark and Brady Lindstrom of Jamestown; and Malia, Ross, Ellen, Ariel and Hannah Reynoldson of Summerville, S.C. He is also survived by siblings in Syracuse, Janet and David Murphy, David and Faye Sessler and Bill and Mary Ann Sessler and their children. Many thanks to the caring professional staff of the Catskill Area Hospice for all of their support and help during this difficult time.Calling hours will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 5, 2009, at J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home, 40 West James St., Richfield Springs. Also calling hours will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, July 6, at Dimbleby, Friedel, Williams & Edmunds Funeral Home, 13 Oxford Road, New Hartford. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the New Hartford United Methodist Church, 105 Genesee St., New Hartford. Richard will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery on Sept. 21, 2009, with full military honors. At the family's request, please omit floral arrangements. Instead, a scholarship has been established for gifted refugee students. Please make checks out to the Richard Sessler Scholarship Fund and mail to NBT Bank, P.O. Box 958, Richfield Springs, NY 13439. Richard touched many, many lives and he will be greatly missed.