Our dad and hero, Davis Townsend Sr. Funeral service for Mr. Davis Townsend Sr., 83, of Nacogdoches, Texas, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 4, 2012, at Oak Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Crispin Bradsher officiating. Burial will follow at Saints Rest Cemetery. Mr. Townsend was born July 17, 1928, in Nacogdoches, Texas, to the late Eugene and Eunice Hillin Townsend. He passed away January 31, 2012, in Nacogdoches. Davis grew up in the Saints Rest Community on the family farm. He graduated from Woden High School in 1947 in a class of 12 students. He served his country in the United States Army until he received an honorable discharge. After service to his country, he moved to Dallas where he married Wanda Jane Elmore and raised his family until his retirement from Vinson Supply Company where he worked for 40 years and nine months as the senior service manager with Fisher Controls. He was a loyal and dedicated employee and hardly ever missed a day of work. Even when it would snow, he would make the usual 45-minute trek that might take him two hours to make. On the weekends he would travel to his ranch where he enjoyed gardening and tending to his cattle and baling hay, with his wife with him each step of the way. He and his wife were excited to get back to his roots after retirement and took up residence on the ranch where he said he "worked harder than he ever did at work." He was very proud of his pond that he dug with the help of many friends and enjoyed the view of it when he relaxed on his front porch. Davis also enjoyed his many friends and family. In fact, if you were a friend, you were family. He was a father and grandfather figure to many. He always instilled in his children the same values. He could do anything from fixing a leaky faucet to building a barn to rebuilding an engine. Many of his friends commented that he was their "go-to guy" when they ran into a problem and didn't know how to fix something. Our dad was a quiet man so when he spoke you listened, because you knew he had something to say. After his wife of 44 years passed away, he found consolation and company at the Nacogdoches Senior Center. He would go there often to eat, just to be in the company of others. This is where he met a very special friend, Erline Morton, and they became good friends until her passing in 2007. Being a country girl, she loved working with him in the ranch, as well. He attended Fredonia Hill Baptist Church and enjoyed the time he spent with his Sunday school class, The Seekers, and the many fun times at their socials. Our father has left footprints on this earth that will never be filled. He was one of a kind and will be sorely missed. We just hope to carry on the legacy that he has left for us. Our family finds comfort in knowing he's with our Heavenly Father and so many who have gone on before him. We also feel the arms of so many around us with their hugs and encouraging words. Davis is survived by three sons, Jadie Townsend, Davis Townsend Jr. and wife, Mona, of Dallas, Texas and Nathan Townsend and wife, Maria, of Point Comfort, Texas; daughter, Nadine Townsend of Nacogdoches; special daughter, adopted into our family, Leigh Ann Dixon, of Nacogdoches; daughter-in-law, Jean Townsend of Salemburg, North Carolina; lifelong friends, Milburn Bowers and wife, Pauline, of Keithville, Louisiana; special friends, Jerry and Paula Gilcrease of Houston, Texas; other special friends and neighbors, Hal Bethune and Guille and Belinda Castillo, all of Nacogdoches; three brothers, Murrell Townsend and wife, Joyce, of Kaufman, Texas, Keith Townsend and wife, Inez, of Dallas and Garth Townsend and wife, Pat, of Kaufman, Texas; two sisters, Imogene Pugh and husband, Max, of Nacogdoches and Garlene Thomas and husband, Ronnie, of Hurst, Texas; sister-in-law, Jan Townsend of Concord, California; ten grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren; his faithful companions, Pup, Tiger, Duke, Polly, Bob, a herd of cattle, a flock of ducks and a pond full of fish; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors and friends. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 44 years, Wanda Jane Elmore Townsend; special friend, Erline Morton; son, George Townsend; granddaughter, Kaitlyn Bell; and brothers, Wayne and Hayden Townsend. Pallbearers will be Guille Castillo, Randy Godsey, Ozzy Carbajal, Jerry Gilcrease, Johnny Christian and Tommy Hillin. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Mark Cline, Hal Bethune, Dusty Godsey, Jim Moore and members of Fredonia Hill Seekers Sunday school class We cannot find the words to express our thanks to so many that lovingly cared for him; Dr. Gerard Ventura and his staff, Dr. Donald Cagle, Larry Mallone and his staff; the many doctors and nurses in the day surgery, ER, second and third floor and ICU departments of Nacogdoches Medical Center Hospital. We would especially like to thank Dr. Mark Cline and his staff for their many years of care and attention that went above and beyond the call of duty. These caregivers are angels among us. Please know you make a difference! We don't say goodbye to a father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin or friend, but instead, we'll be seeing you later. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to the Nacogdoches Senior Citizen Center. Visitation will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday, February 3, 2012, at Laird Funeral Home. To offer condolence or share a memory with the family, please log onto www.lairdfh.net. Laird Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Our dad and hero, Davis Townsend Sr. Funeral service for Mr. Davis Townsend Sr., 83, of Nacogdoches, Texas, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 4, 2012, at Oak Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Crispin Bradsher officiating. Burial will follow at Saints Rest Cemetery. Mr. Townsend was born July 17, 1928, in Nacogdoches, Texas, to the late Eugene and Eunice Hillin Townsend. He passed away January 31, 2012, in Nacogdoches. Davis grew up in the Saints Rest Community on the family farm. He graduated from Woden High School in 1947 in a class of 12 students. He served his country in the United States Army until he received an honorable discharge. After service to his country, he moved to Dallas where he married Wanda Jane Elmore and raised his family until his retirement from Vinson Supply Company where he worked for 40 years and nine months as the senior service manager with Fisher Controls. He was a loyal and dedicated employee and hardly ever missed a day of work. Even when it would snow, he would make the usual 45-minute trek that might take him two hours to make. On the weekends he would travel to his ranch where he enjoyed gardening and tending to his cattle and baling hay, with his wife with him each step of the way. He and his wife were excited to get back to his roots after retirement and took up residence on the ranch where he said he "worked harder than he ever did at work." He was very proud of his pond that he dug with the help of many friends and enjoyed the view of it when he relaxed on his front porch. Davis also enjoyed his many friends and family. In fact, if you were a friend, you were family. He was a father and grandfather figure to many. He always instilled in his children the same values. He could do anything from fixing a leaky faucet to building a barn to rebuilding an engine. Many of his friends commented that he was their "go-to guy" when they ran into a problem and didn't know how to fix something. Our dad was a quiet man so when he spoke you listened, because you knew he had something to say. After his wife of 44 years passed away, he found consolation and company at the Nacogdoches Senior Center. He would go there often to eat, just to be in the company of others. This is where he met a very special friend, Erline Morton, and they became good friends until her passing in 2007. Being a country girl, she loved working with him in the ranch, as well. He attended Fredonia Hill Baptist Church and enjoyed the time he spent with his Sunday school class, The Seekers, and the many fun times at their socials. Our father has left footprints on this earth that will never be filled. He was one of a kind and will be sorely missed. We just hope to carry on the legacy that he has left for us. Our family finds comfort in knowing he's with our Heavenly Father and so many who have gone on before him. We also feel the arms of so many around us with their hugs and encouraging words. Davis is survived by three sons, Jadie Townsend, Davis Townsend Jr. and wife, Mona, of Dallas, Texas and Nathan Townsend and wife, Maria, of Point Comfort, Texas; daughter, Nadine Townsend of Nacogdoches; special daughter, adopted into our family, Leigh Ann Dixon, of Nacogdoches; daughter-in-law, Jean Townsend of Salemburg, North Carolina; lifelong friends, Milburn Bowers and wife, Pauline, of Keithville, Louisiana; special friends, Jerry and Paula Gilcrease of Houston, Texas; other special friends and neighbors, Hal Bethune and Guille and Belinda Castillo, all of Nacogdoches; three brothers, Murrell Townsend and wife, Joyce, of Kaufman, Texas, Keith Townsend and wife, Inez, of Dallas and Garth Townsend and wife, Pat, of Kaufman, Texas; two sisters, Imogene Pugh and husband, Max, of Nacogdoches and Garlene Thomas and husband, Ronnie, of Hurst, Texas; sister-in-law, Jan Townsend of Concord, California; ten grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren; his faithful companions, Pup, Tiger, Duke, Polly, Bob, a herd of cattle, a flock of ducks and a pond full of fish; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors and friends. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 44 years, Wanda Jane Elmore Townsend; special friend, Erline Morton; son, George Townsend; granddaughter, Kaitlyn Bell; and brothers, Wayne and Hayden Townsend. Pallbearers will be Guille Castillo, Randy Godsey, Ozzy Carbajal, Jerry Gilcrease, Johnny Christian and Tommy Hillin. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Mark Cline, Hal Bethune, Dusty Godsey, Jim Moore and members of Fredonia Hill Seekers Sunday school class We cannot find the words to express our thanks to so many that lovingly cared for him; Dr. Gerard Ventura and his staff, Dr. Donald Cagle, Larry Mallone and his staff; the many doctors and nurses in the day surgery, ER, second and third floor and ICU departments of Nacogdoches Medical Center Hospital. We would especially like to thank Dr. Mark Cline and his staff for their many years of care and attention that went above and beyond the call of duty. These caregivers are angels among us. Please know you make a difference! We don't say goodbye to a father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin or friend, but instead, we'll be seeing you later. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to the Nacogdoches Senior Citizen Center. Visitation will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday, February 3, 2012, at Laird Funeral Home. To offer condolence or share a memory with the family, please log onto www.lairdfh.net. Laird Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
