Richard Dean Townsend, “Rick,” of Kernersville, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family July 25, 2017. The family will hold a private memorial service in honor of Rick, and he will be inurned in Salisbury, NC at the National Cemetery.
Rick was born on September 17, 1941 in Glendale, CA to the late Lucile Pogue Townsend and Daniel Bannister Townsend. Rick was an only child, and attended Tacoma Academy in Tacoma Park, MD and graduated from Andrews University in Barrien Springs, MI. Rick served honorably in the United States Army during the Vietnam conflict. He worked at Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO before moving to Kernersville to start his holter monitor scanning business in the early 1980’s. Rick subsequently worked at Novant Heath for 25 years, retiring as Director of Respiratory Services. Rick was very active in his church, serving as Head Elder and teaching classes at the Kernersville Seventh-day Adventist Church. Rick was an avid golfer, fisherman, and hiker. Rick often hiked the Appalachian Trail with his daughters Amy and Alison, and loved camping with them. He enjoyed deep sea fishing at the Outer Banks, and fly fishing in the streams near Banner Elk, NC. Rick could truly repair everything from an injured animal, to leaking pipes. Rick had an amazing sense of humor, and never met a stranger. The most important thing to Rick, besides his family, was his relationship with Jesus. Rick’s love of Jesus was contagious, and he was up at 5:00am daily studying his Bible and praying. That example continues to influence his family today.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 53 years, Diane Eury Townsend; daughters Angela MacLean and husband Troy of Belews Creek; Amy Townsend and husband Matt Stockdale of Pleasant Garden; Alison Snider and husband Robert of Colfax; grandsons Austin Wall, Alex Wall and Wyatt MacLean, Jesse Townsend Stockdale, and Michael and B Snider.
Rick believed strongly in Christian education, so in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Townsend Academic Scholarship Fund in his honor c/o Tri-City Christian Academy, 8000 Clinard Farms Road, High Point, NC 27265, where his daughters and grandsons attend(ed) school. The family would greatly appreciate you sharing any of your fond memories of Rick on the online guest book at www.Pierce-JeffersonFuneralService.com
