Philip Aaron Dershem

Philip (Phil) Aaron Dershem (78) of Indian Land, South Carolina went home to be with Jesus on Sunday, February 18, 2024. Phil was born May 16, 1945 in Dayton, Ohio to the late William Aaron and Helen Maureen Ullery Dershem. When he was nine years old, his family moved to San Diego, California where Phil’s love for the ocean was born. He spent many hours after school looking for that perfect wave and perfecting his surfing skills. Phil became a Christ follower at a Child Evangelism Camp when he was ten years old and attended the First Alliance Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance with his family where his love for God grew. Following his graduation from Clairemont High School in 1963, he attended Simpson Bible College in San Francisco, California. While attending Simpson, Phil met his wife, Lynitta (Lyn) Marie Rea, and they were married August 10, 1968 at the Alliance Church in Everett, Washington where Lyn’s father served as the senior pastor. After receiving his teaching credentials from Simpson, Phil began his teaching career in the Monterey Peninsula School District where he taught elementary school for over thirty years. Phil loved his students and led them on many adventures including meeting the California governor in Sacramento, camping in Yosemite, and olallieberry picking. Phil also enjoyed photography and pursued a second career as a wedding photographer winning several awards for his portraits. He never missed an opportunity to lend his skills to brides and grooms in the beautiful Monterey area.

Phil and Lyn were founding members of Salinas Valley Community Church where they were volunteer leaders with community groups and the Singles ministry and also served on the missions team for many years. Phil always had a passion for studying the Bible and made lifelong friends in the numerous men’s Bible study groups he started and led over the years. Phil and Lyn initially retired from Salinas, California to the beautiful California foothills of Penn Valley in 2004 where they continued various ministry involvement with Twin Cities Church and actively participated in the local community. They relocated across the country to Indian Land, South Carolina in 2017 becoming active members at New City Church and in their Tree Tops neighborhood.

Phil is survived by his caring and loving wife, Lyn, and his four children, Tami (Jeff) Allee of Waxhaw, North Carolina, Jeff (Cristin) Dershem of Liberty Hill, Texas, Alisa Dershem of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Artur Dershem of San Diego, California as well as his three grandchildren, Nathan Allee, Ethan Dershem, and Claire Dershem. He is also survived by his younger brothers Larry (Hoa) Dershem and Steve (Mandy) Dershem all of San Diego, California as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

A service celebrating the life of Phil will be held Friday, February 23, 2024 at 7:00pm at the Tree House located in the Tree Tops neighborhood at: 2198 Acadia Falls Lane Lancaster, South Carolina 29720 (Please use Google Maps for directions - guests should mention memorial service for Phil Dershem when arriving at the main gate - please use the left entrance lane closest to the guardhouse). A private burial/committal service for the immediate family will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024 and an additional Celebration of Life service will be held on the West Coast at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: Child Evangelism Fellowship NorCal Northern Chapter P.O. Box 493104 Redding, California 96049 (Please note in the memo field or in a note with your donation: “to missionaries Andrea & Roland Meyer in memory of Phil Dershem”) Phil’s family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation to the amazing and caring Intensive Care Unit and Hospice teams at Novant Health Main (Charlotte, North Carolina) as well as to Gaskin Funeral Services (Matthews, North Carolina).