Mel Sembler wife: Meet Betty Schlesinger

Melvin Floyd Sembler was married to Betty Schlesinger from 1953 until her death in 2022. Betty Schlesinger was born in 1931 and met Mel Sembler when they were both students at Northwestern University.

Betty Schlesinger was a political matriarch, anti-drug advocate, and trailblazer in drug prevention and treatment. In 1976, Sembler and his wife were founding members of Straight, Inc., a nonprofit drug treatment program that was eventually forced to close because of reports of abuse and use of excessive force against patients.

Betty Schlesinger passed away on February 16, 2022, surrounded by her husband Mel and their loving family. Mel Sembler was an American diplomat who was the United States Ambassador to Italy, and Ambassador to Australia and Nauru, and has also served as chairman of the board of the Sembler Company.

Melvin Floyd Sembler was born on May 10, 1930, in Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States of America. Mel Sembler passed away on October 31, 2023, at the age of 93.

Mel Sembler is a resident member of the Florida Council of 100, a business advisory council to the governor of Florida. He was of Jewish descent.