Reverend William Maryland Baxter was called home to be with the Lord on September 21, 2016. Born on November 4, 1922, he was the youngest child of Peter R. and Annie M. Baxter. He was a veteran of the United States Army, and a graduate of Norfolk State College, where he would receive his B.A. in Social Studies with a Religious Studies sequence. He was employed with Norfolk Public School (NPS) as a truant officer, and later with the City of Norfolk as a housing inspector with the Norfolk Housing and Redevelopment Department until his retirement.

Reverend Baxter was pastor of New Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, where he served for 21 years. He also had two additional pastoral appointments at Campbell's Chapel A.M.E Church in Virginia Beach, and Ebenezer A.M.E Church in Cape Charles, VA. He was a longtime member of Saint James A.M.E. Church.

Reverend Baxter was predeceased by his parents, Peter R. and Annie B. Baxter; his wife, Helen Griffin Baxter; his siblings, Haywood Baxter, Milton P. Baxter, Marcellious E. Baxter, Leavie Baxter Harrell, and Minnie C. Baxter Wilford.

He leaves to cherish his memory: his daughters ,Wilhelmina E. Buster of Ellicott City, MD, and Cynthia Baxter Cooke (Reverend Dennis L. Cooke) of Chesapeake, VA; grand-daughters Anitra Renee' Buster of Laurel, MD; Marilynn Ciara Baxter Cooke of Fairfax, VA, and Carrington Nicole Cooke of Chesapeake, VA; grandson, William Griffin Cooke of Chesapeake, VA ; great grand-daughter, Chloe Nicole Cooke-Exum, of Chesapeake, VA; nieces, Vivian Hubbard of Brooklyn, NY ,and Ruth Ann Bailey of Brooklyn, NY, and Triphena A. Vest of Silver Springs, MD; great- nieces Carolyn W. Matthews of Virginia Beach, VA, Edieth Walton of Norfolk, VA, Eugenia B. Williams of Queens, NY, Cynthia Bailey of Brooklyn, NY, Karen Bryant, Terry McNair and Tracy McNair all of Norfolk, VA; great-nephews, Eugene Bailey of Harlem, NY, Keith Bailey of Brooklyn, NY, Pamela Dillard of Brooklyn, NY,Christopher J. Walton of Virginia Beach, VA and Eddie M. Bryant, III and Michael Robinson all of Norfolk, VA; great-great nieces & nephews Akilah Smith of Newport News, VA , Zakiya Matthews and Kedra Matthews of Virginia Beach, VA, Triphena Vest and T.J. Vest of Silver Springs, MD, Kenton Williams, April Williams all of Brooklyn, NY, Kendall Williams of Queens, NY and Clifton Walton of Portsmouth, VA and a host of relatives, and friends.

A homegoing celebration will be held 12 noon Tuesday at Saint James A.M.E. Church, Norfolk. Interment will follow at Roosevelt Memorial Park. Viewing will be 4-7pm Monday at Pretlow and Sons Funeral Home, Chesapeake, where the family will receive friends from 6-7pm. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.pretlowandsons.com.