In Memory of Marcus Beresford(1952 - 2016)
- Name
- Marcus Beresford
- Spouse
- Melissa Beresford
- Children
- Lanyoung
- Birth Date
- November 2, 1952
- Blessing Date
- July 1, 1982
- Ascension Date
- July 2, 2016
- Local Church
- Boise Family Church of Idaho
Pastor Marcus Beresford was born in the Republic of Uganda, then a British protectorate. He grew up in Uganda, Cyprus and England and was educated at Canford public boarding school. At the age of 22, Marcus traveled to Canada and then to the United States. He first met the Unification Church in San Francisco in November 1976. Three weeks later, he traveled to southern California and encountered the church for a second time in San Diego.
In 1978, Marcus joined the Mobile Fundraising Team (MFT) in Texas. While on MFT, Marcus served as a witness in the English Daily Mail court case in 1980, and was matched on December 30, 1980 to Melissa Pharris. The two were blessed at Madison Square Garden. Marcus graduated MFT in 1984 and completed work for the Interdenominational Conference for Clergy (ICC) and Confederation of the Associations for the Unification of the Societies of the Americas (CAUSA) in Baltimore. Melissa joined him there in 1987. He then became a city leader for Raleigh, North Carolina.
In June 1989, after a leaders’ meeting with True Father, the couple relocated to their adopted hometown of San Diego as city leaders. During the Desert Storm mobilization, Marcus spent three months in Cote D’Ivoire in the town of Abengourou, about 100 miles north of the capital, Abidjan.
Pastor Marcus stepped down from the role of city leader in 1992 to pursue a business career. Meanwhile, he and his wife continued to be active church participants until 2001, when Marcus returned to a position of leadership as an assistant pastor in San Diego, responsible for American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) activities. He and his united and dedicated team had some success in this mission.
The couple’s daughter, Lanyoung, was born in 2005, and in 2007, the family relocated to Melissa’s home state of Idaho. Marcus was invited to be a state pastor and humbly accepted the position. He became part of the pastoral leadership team in the Northwest and has been a source of inspiration to our team for the duration of his service. The Boise Family Church has some irrigated land, which Marcus let out to refugees from Rwanda and Congo for six years. For the past two years, refugees from Karen have farmed there.
Those of us privileged to know him can readily testify to Marcus being one of the great faith saints of our era. While he struggled with many difficult health issues for many years, Marcus steadfastly, and without complaint, witnessed and represented True Parents with great dignity and gratitude, as did his family.
If you wish to make a donation to the family, please follow this link: https://www.gofundme.com/298uy5z8
Gathering of District 10 Leaders.
- Time
- 11:00 AM (MST)
- Date
- Wednesday, July 6, 2016
- Location
- Kramer Family Funeral Home - 2500 Decker Lake Blvd. #1, West Valley City, Utah
- Viewing
- Tuesday, July 5, 2016 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (MST)
Josef S.
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Dearest Melissa: my only memories of you and Marcus are from the 70s. When either one of you was present on one of those “saintly” fundraising teams, there were no bad days. Only challenging days that were met by either one of you with vivacious and bubbly smiles and enthusiasm. I deeply hope that your lovely daughter will carry on that tradition and multiply that spirit countless times. Thank you for all you and Marcus have done.
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Kiyoko Bowman
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Dear Melissa I am sure you are facing diffrent time of life.I pray you can found the way to new start which you can do.thank you for work of GOD.love kiyokobowman
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Sara Towe Horsfall
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Melissa,
I just read about Marcus today. My thoughts are with you and your daughter. And wishes for you in this time. All the best to you.
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maria piperis
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Thank you Marcus for all you have done for Heaven.
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Ray McCready
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Marcus, Melissa and Lanyoung, thank you for hosting myself and others when we traveled to Boise July 31, 2014 to join the God’s Hope For America tour. We appreciated your family’s hospitality, including food and a place to lay weary heads, before joining the GHFA event in Boise on 8/1/14. I pray for strong hearts, to remember all of the good Marcus has done as he ministered in Idaho and elsewhere. Be well, brother Marcus, we will meet again, peace.
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Susan Munsell
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Dear Melissa, I have such fond memories of you and Marcus when you were in San Diego…..such a lovely, sincere couple. Our family lived in the Los Angeles area so we never knew each other that well but I always felt such a connection simply because you and Marcus were so warm and friendly. Our prayers are with you and your lovely daughter at this time.
Love, Susan Munsell
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David Loew
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Marcus was one of the more colorful bright souls that was a part of the Unification Church for many years. Perhaps his upbringing in Africa combined with strict schooling in England brought a formal yet very bright and original soul. His time on the MFT made it easy for him to engage everyone with a smile and hope. A very good yet unpretentious orator who didn’t use idealology to promote himself. But rather used idealology to promote that which was Principled and Spiritually loving. One of the more genuine souls that represented our True Parents quite well. And perhaps not acknowledged as much as he should have been. He had a special love in his heart for San Diego, especially the many parks and the ocean, which perhaps brought fond memories of England and beyond.
Everyone is a better person because of what Marcus brought to bear. No doubt his colorful nature and smile will carry on into the afterlife.
Fair Sailing You brother in heart, David Loew
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Melissa Beresford
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Thank you Captain David Loew. Our most exciting times were when you took us ocean fishing & whale watching. I would tease Marcus and tell him I must take him to his second love (The Ocean!) He could cast all his negative ions into the sea and be filled with a second wind and fresh sea water mists. We miss your trout dinners too. 🙂 Forever friends, M & M
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