St. George, UT – On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Donald Victor Baptist, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away in his St. George home at age 81. Don was born on February 2, 1941, in Oakland, California to Leonard George and Catherine Marie (Ross) Baptist. He grew up in Mission San Jose (Fremont). He married the love of his life, Shirley Nelson on February 14, 1989, in San Jose, California. He spent his life in Northern California until he moved to St. George, Utah in 2001.

Don started working at age 17 and excelled in his career. Throughout his life he worked as a painter, retail manager, insurance salesman, and then real estate investor and developer. With his partner, Jim Fuqua, he formed Fuqua & Baptist Management Company and found great success in real estate investing and development. Additionally, he was a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) and served as a reserve police officer for the San Jose Police Department.

Don devoted much of his life to service. He taught at-risk youth at the Foundry (San Jose, CA) to set goals and better manage their futures using his book, Mind Management . He volunteered at the Intermountain Healthcare Emergency Room (St. George, UT). He drove a school bus for Washington County School District. He also served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Employment Services, training people to develop marketable skills and find employment. Beyond this, he spent countless hours as a loving mentor to many.

Don was preceded in death by his parents and grandson, Jonathan. Don is survived by his wife, Shirley; their 6 children, Dwayne (Ellen), Rick (Pam), Jim (Joan), Ron (Merlinda), Harley (Conny) Willesen, and Sheri McGarvey; 13 grandchildren, Paul, Peter, Mitch (Alex), Morgan (Eric) Elmore, David, Michael (Audrey), Tiffany (Michael) Bella, Jennifer, Amanda, Nicholas, Amy (Justin) DeBorba, Tyler Willesen, and Jessica (Kaden) Clements; and 6 great grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be Friday, July 8, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the Bloomington Stake Center Chapel, 200 West Brigham Road, St. George, UT. Visitations will be Thursday, July 7 ^th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd. and prior to services on Friday, July 8th from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in the Tonaquint Cemetery, 1777 South Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah.

Live streaming webcast will be available at:

https://zoom.us/j/5244339801?pwd=eGxvMjI1SVBNMVlJZjJiZCt3WWlldz09