Funeral service for Credit Union icon this Thursday

A former stalwart public servant, and a Credit Union icon passed away last Wednesday, June 17, 2015. Beryl Adella Baptiste MBE died peacefully at her home at Kingstown Park.

Baptiste attended the Girls’ High School (GHS) from 1939 – 1944 under the tutelage of Laura Smith-Moffett. She played GHS netball as Centre for Staff House in her day. She was a former president of the Old Girls Association of GHS (now referred to as the GHS Alumnae Association).{{more}}

Miss B, as she was fondly known, worked for over 33 years in the public service, and ended her career as director of Audit, being the first female auditor general of the Commonwealth.

Baptiste served in several departments of government, including the Power Station; the Registry Department; the Post Office; the Treasury; the Ministry of Agriculture and Trade as assistant secretary; the Ministry of Works as Permanent Secretary; and the Audit Department.

She was a GECCU pioneer, being a foundation member and foundation director, who served as a director from 1964 – 1979 on the Board of Directors, its first 15 years.

She was an executive member of the Civil Service Association (now PSU) for several years and served as treasurer of the SVG Red Cross; a member of the Trefoil Guild; and treasurer of the SVG Girl Guides Association.

A devout Anglican communicant, she sang in the St George’s Cathedral choir from her teens up until 1951 as a soprano and later was a foundation member of the Kingstown Chorale. She performed at concerts in the House of Assembly Chamber, at the Carnegie Public Library, the Harbour Club, the Association Hall and the Peace Memorial Hall; she was often referred to as St Vincent’s Lena Horne.

Baptiste mentored several young civil servants who rose to prominence in the public service of this nation.

The funeral service for Beryl Baptiste wiill take place on Thursday, June 25, at the St George’s Anglican Cathedral. Viewing is at 2 p.m. and the service begins at 3 p.m. Interment will be in the churchyard.

Baptiste leaves to mourn her two daughters René M Baptiste, attorney, speaker of the OECS assembly, and president of the SVG Bar Association and Dr Rosalind Ambrose, consultant radiologist at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital and president of the SVG Medical Association.

Her two granddaughters are lawyer Michaela Ambrose and Gabriella Ambrose, a dental student at Nova Southeastern University, Florida. She is survived by one great grandson Domniq and son-in-law Dennis Ambrose; many nieces, great nieces, nephews and great nephews; many friends at home and abroad.