Union Baptist

Union Baptist Church, built on the rectitude of a former slave and out of the ashes of the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, was named a National Historic Landmark in ceremonies Sunday that included the unveiling of a plaque on the Druid Hill Avenue building. Gay Vietzke of the National Park Service, who spoke to parishioners in the sanctuary, said that not only did the Victorian gothic architecture of William J. Beardsley, who rebuilt much of Baltimore after the fire, deserve recognition, but the historic stature of the Rev. Dr. Harvey Johnson, who presided over the church for 50 years, and the role of the church in civil rights issues dating from the Civil War also made it worthy of the honor.

The Rev. Vernon Dobson, a Baptist minister and civil rights leader, died Saturday of complications of a stroke. He was 89. As a leading figure in Baltimore's civil rights movement, Mr. Dobson lived a life molded by the struggle for equality — a struggle he continued into his last years — and as a pastor who believed that the church should play an important part in the fight. Campaigning took a hold on Mr. Dobson's life early on. Talking to The Baltimore Sun in 1998, he described demonstrating against segregation as a young child with his mother in the 1930s.

On February 1, 2006, after a brief illness, at St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, MD, JERRY CLAUDE LYMAS, President of Justin Development Group, of Baltimore, MD. He was born on May 8, 1949, in Union, SC to Jerry N. and Louise Lymas. He is survived by his wife, Linda W. Lymas, and one son, Justin. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, February 7, from 4 to 8 P.M. at the Union Baptist Church Room of Remembrance, located at 1219 Druid Hill Ave, Baltimore, MD. Homecoming services will be held at Union Baptist on Wednesday, February 8, wake at 11 A.M., followed by the funeral at 12 noon.

Union Baptist Church, built on the rectitude of a former slave and out of the ashes of the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, was named a National Historic Landmark in ceremonies Sunday that included the unveiling of a plaque on the Druid Hill Avenue building. Gay Vietzke of the National Park Service, who spoke to parishioners in the sanctuary, said that not only did the Victorian gothic architecture of William J. Beardsley, who rebuilt much of Baltimore after the fire, deserve recognition, but the historic stature of the Rev. Dr. Harvey Johnson, who presided over the church for 50 years, and the role of the church in civil rights issues dating from the Civil War also made it worthy of the honor.

John T. Hebron, a retired Baltimore insurance salesman who was an active member of Union Baptist Church and its custodian for more than 60 years, died Friday at Liberty Medical Center after a long illness. He was 98.Services for Mr. Hebron, who had lived in West Baltimore, were being held today at the church, 1219 Druid Hill Ave.He retired about five years ago as custodian at Union Baptist, where he also held other lay positions.He worked as a salesman for the Mutual Benefit Insurance Co., retiring in the late 1940s.

On February 17, 2007 TERRELL PARKS, devoted father of Diamond Parks, beloved son of Wanda Johnson and Kevin Parks, one brother Darnell Parks. Friends may call at the family owned MARCH FUNERAL HOME WEST, INC., 4300 Wabash Ave., on Friday after 8:30 A.M. The family will receive friends at Union Baptist, 1218 Druid Hill Ave., on Saturday at 10:30 A.M. Funeral Services will follow at 11 A.M. Interment at King Park.

Carolyn Cromwell had planned to wear a hat decorated with mirrors, but opted for an oversize red straw number, thinking the glass would fog in the damp weather.It may have been a cold, wet Easter, but Ms. Cromwell wasn't about to let the weather ruin her opportunity to wear an Easter bonnet to services at Bethel A.M.E. Church on Druid Hill Avenue yesterday.Although wearing an Easter bonnet has become a waning tradition of late, you would never know it looking at the collection of hats outside the church after Easter services.

On June 4, 2009, VERA L.; beloved mother of Muriel Gray. She is also survived by two grandchildren, Rodcita Gray and Melony Fletcher (Ricardo); seven great-grandchildren; a host of other relatives and friends. On Monday, June 8, 2009, at 5:30 PM, Mrs. Christian will lie in state at Union Baptist Church, 105 Main Street, Turners Station, MD. The family will receive friends 6 to 6:30 PM; funeral 6:30PM. Final services Wednesday at St. John Baptist Church, 17080 South River Road, Woodford, VA 22580.

Services for John T. Hebron, a retired Baltimore insurance salesman who was an active member of Union Baptist Church and its custodian for more than 60 years, will be held at noon today at the church, 1219 Druid Hill Ave.Mr. Hebron, 98, died Friday at Liberty Medical Center after a long illness. He had lived in West Baltimore.He retired about five years ago as Union Baptist's custodian. He had been a member of the church's trustees, Day Care Center board, Senior Choir and Men's Glee Club.

On January 2, 2005, ANTHONY J.; beloved husband of the late Virginia N. (nee Harris); devoted father of Tony M. Bennett; dear brother of Lucia De Juliis; loving grandfather of Brenda Jones and her husband David and Tony M. Bennett, Jr.; great-grandfather of Amanda, David and Tyler. Also survived by other family members and friends. A Catholic Burial Service will be held at the family owned Duda-Ruck Funeral of Dundalk, Inc., 7922 Wise Avenue, on Thursday at 1 P.M. Interment in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.

The bride wore white, the groom a dark suit. They stood at the altar of Union Baptist Church in Druid Hill and exchanged vows as their maid of honor, their ring bearer and other loved ones looked on. Fifty years have gone by since Sadie Alston Woolford, 73, and Llewellyn Woolford, 80, were first married at the church, but on Saturday, they re-enacted their wedding day — with new touches like grown children in attendance. "They seem just as happy as the day they were married," said Ethel Ennis, a local jazz luminary who sang "True Love" at their August 1960 wedding and again on Saturday.

On June 4, 2009, VERA L.; beloved mother of Muriel Gray. She is also survived by two grandchildren, Rodcita Gray and Melony Fletcher (Ricardo); seven great-grandchildren; a host of other relatives and friends. On Monday, June 8, 2009, at 5:30 PM, Mrs. Christian will lie in state at Union Baptist Church, 105 Main Street, Turners Station, MD. The family will receive friends 6 to 6:30 PM; funeral 6:30PM. Final services Wednesday at St. John Baptist Church, 17080 South River Road, Woodford, VA 22580.

One of the oldest African-American Baptist churches in the city is at war with its well-known former pastor and his supporters, a divisive battle playing out in Baltimore Circuit Court amid accusations of fraud, tax negligence and personal enrichment through church property. The roots of the back-and-forth legal wrangling date to the mid-1990s, when Union Baptist Church knocked down nine rowhouses to build a child care center on Druid Hill Avenue. But the property taxes weren't paid on the land on which one of the buildings stood, and the city sold it at a tax sale.

On February 17, 2007 TERRELL PARKS, devoted father of Diamond Parks, beloved son of Wanda Johnson and Kevin Parks, one brother Darnell Parks. Friends may call at the family owned MARCH FUNERAL HOME WEST, INC., 4300 Wabash Ave., on Friday after 8:30 A.M. The family will receive friends at Union Baptist, 1218 Druid Hill Ave., on Saturday at 10:30 A.M. Funeral Services will follow at 11 A.M. Interment at King Park.

Grace A. Scruggs, a retired house keeper and active church member, died in her sleep Wednesday at Union Memorial Hospital. She was 92. She was born and raised in Buckingham County, Va., the daughter of a farmer. She was a graduate of local public schools and moved to Baltimore in 1952. Miss Scruggs worked for 49 years as a housekeeper until retiring in 2001, family members said. She was a parishioner for 50 years at Fulton Baptist Church, where she was a member of the flower circle and missionary board.

On February 1, 2006, after a brief illness, at St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, MD, JERRY CLAUDE LYMAS, President of Justin Development Group, of Baltimore, MD. He was born on May 8, 1949, in Union, SC to Jerry N. and Louise Lymas. He is survived by his wife, Linda W. Lymas, and one son, Justin. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, February 7, from 4 to 8 P.M. at the Union Baptist Church Room of Remembrance, located at 1219 Druid Hill Ave, Baltimore, MD. Homecoming services will be held at Union Baptist on Wednesday, February 8, wake at 11 A.M., followed by the funeral at 12 noon.

In Baltimore CountyStudents awarded scholarships from Oregon Ridge centerTOWSON -- The Oregon Ridge Nature Center Council has awarded scholarships of $1,000 to two local students.Jakara Hubbard, a senior at the Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Baltimore County, and Janell Smith, a senior at Western High School in the Baltimore, were selected for their high achievements academically and outside of school.Smith plans to attend American University in the fall, where she will major in environmental law. Hubbard will attend the University of Virginia, where she will major in science.

Baltimore police are investigating as suspicious the death of a well-known pastor whose body was found in a Charles Village alley, while church communities across the city mourn the loss. The body of Lorenzo C. Handy, 67, was found behind West 25th Street in Charles Village on Thanksgiving Day. He had sustained head injuries, but police said it was unclear whether that was from an attack or a fall. Police did not release additional details; the state medical examiner's office has not finished an autopsy.

Baltimore police are investigating as suspicious the death of a well-known pastor whose body was found in a Charles Village alley, while church communities across the city mourn the loss. The body of Lorenzo C. Handy, 67, was found behind West 25th Street in Charles Village on Thanksgiving Day. He had sustained head injuries, but police said it was unclear whether that was from an attack or a fall. Police did not release additional details; the state medical examiner's office has not finished an autopsy.

On January 2, 2005, ANTHONY J.; beloved husband of the late Virginia N. (nee Harris); devoted father of Tony M. Bennett; dear brother of Lucia De Juliis; loving grandfather of Brenda Jones and her husband David and Tony M. Bennett, Jr.; great-grandfather of Amanda, David and Tyler. Also survived by other family members and friends. A Catholic Burial Service will be held at the family owned Duda-Ruck Funeral of Dundalk, Inc., 7922 Wise Avenue, on Thursday at 1 P.M. Interment in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.