Rev. Rodney L. Young, Pastor Emeritus Good Shepherd Baptist Church (Age 83) of Temple Hills, Maryland.

Obituary of Rev. Rodney Leonard Young

Rev. Rodney L. Young was born in Washington, D.C. on May 24, 1932. He attended elementary and high school in Prince George's County, Maryland. After the death of his parents, at five years of age; he was reared by his grandparents, Ella & Frank Young, and later by his Aunt Mrs. Inez Porter, whom he simply called "Mother." The influence of the home life helped mold his career, for in the home of his grandparents he was surrounded by God fearing people, he was constantly surrounded by singing and praying. Prayer Bands and Noon Day Services, all had a profound impression on his everyday living. Even in the home of "Mother" he again was bought in contact with the many musical aggregations for which she served as pianist, and as a young man he followed her on most of her musical engagements, far and near.

He joined the First Baptist Church of Fairmount Heights and was baptized at an early age under the pastorate of the late Rev. J. R. Jones and was soon given the duty of church clerk. Rev. Young showed traits of leadership in whatever organization he held membership. He was an ardent church worker, diligently and untiringly serving in any capacity where needed. He too gave much of his time to civic and community activities, especially the Boy Scouts. His years as a boy scout were marked with the highest caliber of leadership, beginning as a cub and ranking to explorer. Rev. Young received many citations and awards during his tenure.

It was destined that he would enter the ministry, for those who knew him from early youth could see this inevitable call of God, to go preach the gospel. He showed all the traits under the leadership of the late Rev. J. R. Jones but was under the pastorate of the late Rev. T. J. Andrews that he came forth and announced his call to the ministry in the later part of 1949. The church gave him the opportunity to preach his trial sermon, January 8, 1950 and immediately was appointed Pastor of the Junior Church.

He graduated from the Lakeland Senior High School, June 1950, where he served as class president, and that same year entered Virginia Union University, with the help and joint efforts of the Boy Scouts and the First Baptist Church. Due to the great expense of a college education, he felt he would complete the first year tenure and then work to help sustain his stay in college. However, at the close of the school year he was called to pastor the Union Chapel Church, in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. Devoting his time to his pastorate prohibited his return to college. He immediately enrolled in the Washington Baptist Seminary, where he became class president. His schedule was becoming quite taxing: working, going to school, pastoring the Junior Church at the First Baptist Church of Fairmount Heights and pastoring in Pennsylvania, but never did his Faith weaken or energy wane. He served for two year at the Union Chapel Church until he was called to serve for the ailing Pastor Rev. Caesar Alexander, at the Mt. Hope Baptist Church in 1954. Upon his call to Mt. Hope, he resigned as pastor of Union Chapel Church and devoted his efforts to his new pastorate and the completion of his final year at the Washington Baptist Seminary, where he graduated on June 13, 1955.

During his early years at Mt. Hope, he met and married Miss Marie Datcher, on June 16, 1956 and as a result of this marriage was blessed with four daughters. He continued to serve at the Mt. Hope Baptist Church for twenty-four years. His achievements have been recorded in the history of the church.

Rev. Young worked for the Department of Defense at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, in Indian Head, Maryland for 10 years. He began as an ordnance worker and left as a supervisor in 1970.

Continuing his faithful service for the Lord, Rev. Young began working for the Council of Churches of Greater Washington in 1970 as Assistant Director of Inner City Ministries, until retiring in 1994 as the Executive Director. Even after retiring, Rev. Young continued his outreach ministry with the Council of Churches until 1997.

On January 21, 1978, Rev. Young continued carrying out God's word and was called to pastor at the Johnson Memorial Baptist Church, in Washington, D.C. where he diligently served until September 1982. Being lead by God to continue his ministry, founded the mission known as the Good Shepherd Baptist Church, in September 1982.

It was inevitable as a leader and constant assistant in the service of the Lord that Rev. Young came out of retirement in (1997). He started teaching at the Stephen Decatur Middle School, Clinton, Md. He continued to provide a cohesive environment where he motivated and placed his students on the proper track. He remained there until he fell ill and was forced to retire, once again in 2004.

Rev. Young's conventional leadership and community involvement extended beyond his pastoral duty, they included: Moderator of the Potomac River Baptist Assoc. for fourteen (14) years

Wednesday Morning Minister's Fellowship
Member of the Baptist Convention DC & Vicinity
Member of the Missionary Baptist Ministers Conference
Member of the Progressive National Baptist Convention USA Inc
Member of the Southern Maryland Baptist Association
Member of the Mt. Bethel Baptist Association
Vice President NAACP - Charles County, Maryland
Member of the American Camping Association
President of the Red-Hill Estates Civic Association
Member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Member of the Near Northeast & Shaw Community Ministries
Member of the Interfaith Conference, Metropolitan Washington Area
Co-Host of a radio ministry "People Want to Know" WOL1450

After 65 years of ministry, effective December 28, 2014 he officially retired. On Saturday, May 2, 2015 he was honored with a Retirement Celebration and many were in attendance. He received his flowers while he still lived. Rev. Young departed this life on Thursday, March 24, 2016, with his loving wife Marie, sister Arleathia and daughter Yvette at his bedside in his Temple Hills home.

Rev. Young leaves to cherish his memory: his wife of 59 years: Marie J. Young; four daughters: Yvette Powell, Juliet Jones (Donald), Roderica Curtis (Rodney Lionel) and Inez Wiggs (Reginald); fourteen grandchildren: James Powell, Ayerica Powell, Matthew Powell, Marcus Young, Charell Jones, Donald Jones II, Roderika LaTrice Curtis, Roderick Curtis, Rodney Curtis, Roshawna Curtis, Sydney Wiggs, Gina Wiggs, Stephen Wiggs and Andrew Wiggs; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters: Clementine Ming, Arleathia Lang; a host of loving brothers-in-laws and sisters-in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.

Viewing, 12 noon until 6 p.m. Service of Celebration 6 to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 31, 2016 at Good Shepherd Baptist Church, 5203 Wheeler Road, Oxon Hill, Maryland 20745.

Viewing, 9 a.m. until time of service, 11 a.m., Friday, April 1, 2016 at Fort Foote Baptist Church, 8310 Fort Foote Road, Fort Washington, Maryland 20744. Interment, Mt. Hope Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, 8705 Gilroy Road, Nanjemoy, Maryland 20662.