The Dessem

The Rev. Ralph E. Dessem died May 13th at his residence in the Breckinridge Village of Willoughby, Ohio. Rev. Dessem was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, November 22, 1926 His parents were Harry and Jenny Keller Dessem. He graduated from Chambersburg High School in 1944 and Findlay College, now the University of Findlay, in 1946. Due to World War II, a student with exceptional grades could skip a year or two and graduate early and Ralph was a such a student. He entered Oberlin College Graduate School of Theology and obtained his Masters of Divinity degree, continuing on to Vanderbilt College for his Doctorate. Ralph married Jane Brightbill in 1947 and, together, they began his ministerial career. He began while he was in school, serving the Findlay College church. Then he began to work a circuit of three Methodist Ohio Conference churches, Hoytville, South Liberty and Portage Chapel. In 1951 he was called to Fields Corners United Methodist Church, in North Ridgeville, and after the required one year service, was ordained at the annual conference at the United Methodist Lakeside retreat location. In 1954 he went to Bellevue UM Church and initiated the relocation of the church to a more modern building. Before he moved on, he had completed the first major phase of the building program. In 1961, Rev. Dessem went to the North Royalton UM Church and remained as the Senior Minister until 1969. Ralph left the pulpit in 1969 to work in the field of religious publications. He was affiliated with the Church World Press and the CSS Publishing Company, among others. In 1974 he returned to the pulpit as Associate Minister of the Brecksville UM Church. Rev. Dessem served as Senior Minister at the Independence UM Church from 1981 until his retirement in 1986. After his retirement, Ralph served as the Minister of Visitation at the Medina UM Church, the Brecksville UM Church and the Hudson UM Church. Rev. Dessem was a member of Kiwanis International and a 32nd degree Mason. He was an avid stamp collector and a Civil War history buff. He traveled professionally, on mission trips, to include a three week trip to Bolivia, as a United Methodist Project in 1957, and continued his Bolivian contacts to the present. Ralph and Jane traveled the Holy Lands, Europe and most recently into Canada visiting Nova Scotia and the Maritime Provinces. Rev. Dessem is survived by his beloved wife, Jane nee Brightbill of Willoughby, OH, and his children, Larry Beth of Columbia, MO; Dean of Baltimore, MD; Mark Jan of Memphis, TN and Carol Boyd John of Shaker Hts., OH. He was also the dear grandfather of Mathew, Lindsay and Emily Dessem, Meredith and Alison Boyd. The family prefers that those who wish may make contributions in his name to Breckinridge Village, 36855 Ridge Rd., Willoughby, OH, 44094 or the Church of The Saviour, 2537 Lee Rd., Cleveland Hts., OH, 44118, where Memorial Services will be held Wednesday. May 26th at 1:30 PM. BROWN-FORWARD SERVICE 216 752-1200


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