Michael F. Baptist
Retired Baltimore Police Department sergeant was appointed an elder at church, teacher of Sunday school
Michael F. Baptist, a retired Baltimore City Police Department sergeant who was active in his church, died of the coronavirus April 19 at Northwest Hospital Center. The Windsor Mill resident was 71.
Born in Baltimore and raised on Penhurst Avenue, he was the son of Albert Baptist, a Bethlehem Steel shipyard worker, and his wife, Marian. He was a 1968 graduate of Forest Park High School and earned a degree in law enforcement at Baltimore City Community College.
In 1971 he joined the city police department and served in the Northern, Western and Northwestern districts. He served for 39 years and retired in August 2010 as a sergeant.
He returned to police work two months later as a contract service specialist and worked at police headquarters on Fayette Street.
He met his future wife, Patricia Crooks, at a church function. They married in Clemson, South Carolina.
Mr. Baptist was a childhood member of the United House of Prayer for All People and remained active at its Edwood Road church.
While in his 20s, he joined its deacon board and later became an elder.
He often preached when the pastor was away or on the fourth Sunday of the month.
“He had no trouble communicating his faith,” said a church member, Gaye Banks. “He was a stellar man. He was easy to talk to and was generous with his time. He listened well.”
She said he embraced the programs offered by the United House of Prayer and devoted himself to working with young people.
He also played with the Baltimore Reds softball team and several softball teams organized by his church, and managed a Little League softball team.
She said Mr. Baptist could never say no to a church activity. He started out working with the young people’s choir and the shout band.
“He was a dynamic, popular preacher,” she said. “He’d leave the pulpit and walked the aisles to make sure the congregation understood what he had to say. He had no trouble communicating his faith in and out of the House of Prayer.”
Mr. Baptist rose within the church and was anointed an elder. He was President of Presidents and chairman of the Elder Board. He also taught Sunday school.
For 15 years he was assistant pastor of the congregation. He was appointed national chairman of the United House of Prayer Peace Officers.
In addition to his wife of 31 years, a client services specialist at Quest Diagnostics, survivors include two sons, Michael Baptist Jr. of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Darrell Baptist of Los Angeles; two daughters, Monica Montoute of Jeffersonville, Pennsylvania, and Yolanda Baptist of Baltimore; five brothers, E.A. Baptist of Charlotte, Thomas Baptist of Baltimore, C.D. Baptist of Charlotte, T.W. Baptist of Linden, New Jersey, and Phillip D. Baptist of Baltimore; two sisters, Sylvia Gingham of Baltimore and Donna Barksdale of Newport News, Virginia; and eight grandchildren.