David Young: 1935-2020 

Respected electrical engineer with a strong Christian faith who became a member, treasurer and elder of Rising Brook Baptist Church in Stafford 

David Young peacefully passed away on Sunday 29 November 2020, the first day of Advent, at home, surrounded by his children Andy, Martin and Kate.

David’s grandfather was a Baptist minister in Birmingham who started the work of Warley Baptist Church, Oldbury, at which both David and his father Del, acted as church secretary and helped start the ministry of Brandhall Baptist Church. While at university, David was a member of the Cambridge Baptist Society where he met the Revd Dr Ray Brown with whom he remained close friends all his life.

After a brief spell at Sale Baptist Church, David, an electrical engineer, moved to Stafford and became a member, treasurer and elder of Rising Brook Baptist Church, forming a strong friendship with the Revd David Taylor as the church grew and flourished. He was a close contemporary of the Revd Gwynne Edwards while at Cambridge who went on to become the first minister at Rising Brook.

David’s son Andy is a member there, and his son Martin became minister at Rising Brook in 1998. His daughter Kate is married to the Revd Andrew Openshaw, minister of Homelands Free Church (Baptist) in Frinton on Sea, Essex. David was a long-standing member of the HEBA Trust Working Group advising on church buildings in the West Midlands, even correcting minutes on the day of his diagnosis just 10 days before his death!

David cared for his wife, Joy, for many years before her own death two years ago, and his loving, stable presence will be very much missed by all his children and grandchildren. He was a well-respected electrical engineer, having worked with GEC/Alstom in Stafford since 1970; and his strong Christian faith and special gift of welcoming care were lived out in the community of Rising Brook Baptist Church since that time also.

David’s funeral service will be held at Stafford Crematorium on Friday 18 December at 2.00pm followed by a service of thanksgiving at Rising Brook at 2.45pm. It is with regret and advance apology that the family are required to allow only 30 mourners attend the service, but it will be broadcast from the church on zoom. Details of this and also an invitation to pay respects can be found at david-j-young.muchloved.com

Any donations to Katharine House Hospice whose team cared for David so well in his last few days.

Martin Young 

martin.young@risingbrook.org