Paul William Dysinger

Dr Paul William (Bill) Dysinger, 97, of Williamsport, TN, passed away on March 30, 2025, at his home, surrounded by his family. Memorial services will be held at 3 PM, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in the Centerville Church of Christ, Centerville, TN with Dr. Norman McNulty officiating. Visitation with family will begin at 2 PM. There will be a private burial on his farm. Bill was born in Burns, TN to Paul and Mary (Martin) Dysinger on May 24, 1927. He married Yvonne Minchin on May 11, 1958, in Takoma Park, MD. He graduated from High School at Madison, TN in 1945; from Southern Missionary College in Collegedale, TN with a BA in Chemistry in 1951; from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, CA with an MD in 1955; and from Harvard with an MPH in 1962. He worked with the Indian Health Service in N Dakota and Arizona from 1956-58 and then with the US State Department in Cambodia from 1958-60. In 1961 he joined Loma Linda University and continued there until 1988, during which he assisted in the founding of the LLU School of Public Health and was its first Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. From 1988 until he retired in 1992, he was the Senior Health Advisor for ADRA (the Adventist Relief and Development Agency) in Silver Spring, MD. Besides the two years in Cambodia, he spent four years in Tanzania (1962-64 & 1978-1980) on assignments with LLU, a Sabbatical leave in Singapore (1972-73) and one year in Pakistan establishing a Village Health Worker training program (1980-81). His travel and work took him to more than 110 countries and territories. Bill had a large heart for the poor and underserved and was passionate about preventive and lifestyle medicine, missions, and the connections between physical and spiritual well-being. In retirement, from his farm in Williamsport, TN, he shared his passion and expertise in the former USSR, Northeast Asia and West Africa through Development Services International, a non-profit he established. He also led CHIP programs (Coronary Health Improvement Project) in Centerville and participated on the Hickman County Health Committee. And he wrote two books, “Heaven’s Lifestyle Today: Health in the Context of Revelation 14” and “Health to the People: Stories of Public Health, Preventive and Lifestyle Medicine, and Medical Evangelism Training and Outreach, Loma Linda, CA 1905-2005”. Two of his children, 5 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild, along with their families, have made their homes on his farm. He was an active member and elder at Martin Memorial SDA Church in Centerville, TN. Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Yvonne and grandson Stephen. Bill is survived by sons Edwin (and Jennifer), Wayne, John (and Pam), daughter Janelle (and Craig) Edwards, his sister Ruth (and Charles) Harris, 14 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. Bill had a large heart for the poor and underserved and was passionate about preventive and lifestyle medicine, missions, and the connections between physical and spiritual well-being. Memorials may be given to the following organizations which represent well Bill’s passions: Dysinger Family Fund (https://lluh.org/giving#) supports the training of doctors in Preventive and Lifestyle Medicine at Loma Linda University Health - designate Other, then write in “Dysinger Family Fund”). His son, Wayne started this fund in memory of his son Stephen and of Bill. FARM STEW (https://www.farmstew.org/give) empowers vulnerable families in Africa, Asia and Latin America to break free from hunger, disease, poverty and hopelessness– fulfilling his dream and taking it further! He endorsed FARMSTEW and loved their effective, wholistic approach. Comment that your gift is in honor of Dr. Dysinger. Bountiful Blessings Training Center (https://outpostcenters.org/en/oci-website/ministries/988/) for the development of a training classroom at Bountiful Blessings Farm in partial fulfillment of a long-held dream of his, and which will be named in his honor, carrying forward his passion for community development through local training. The family of Bill wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Centerville Church of Christ for making their facilities available to us for the memorial service, McDonald Funeral Home, and Shannon Ellis for her faithful homecare service to both Mom and Dad over the past three years.

Paul William Dysinger

May 24, 1927 - March 30, 2025