Norman Wayne Townsend Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Wayne Townsend was born in Milfay, OK on June 19, 1927 to Vernon Townsend and Anna Brown Townsend and passed away on Sunday, May 29, 2022. He was preceded in death by two children, Francis Townsend and Marilyn Beeson, his parents, brothers, Melvin, Billy, Ted and Jim, sister, Melba and son-in-law, Gary McGaughey. Surviving are his wife, Betty, his sister, Patricia Fry of Jacksonville, his children, Jeannie McGaughey of Diboll, Sheila and Gaylon Johnson of Rusk, Robin and Janet Townsend of Alvin, Janet and Wade Holder of Bandera and Joni and John Speanburg of Coppell, son-in-law, John Beeson, ten grandsons of the Townsends are Mark McGaughey, Jed Johnson, Keith Johnson, Scott Taylor, Aaron Townsend, Travis Townsend, Jesse Townsend, Chris Holder, Matthew Speanburg and Michael Speanburg, five granddaughters are Lesley Taylor, Marla Dudley, Megan Willingham, Jana Estrada and Leah Barry. There are twenty-eight great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren. Wayne served in the U.S. Army and graduated from high school in Depew, Oklahoma and earned a B.S. degree in agriculture at Oklahoma A&M in 1951. Wayne was Forest Supervisor for Temple Industries for thirty-nine years in the Rusk district. He was a member of the Rusk First United Methodist Church. Wayne loved sports especially baseball. He officiated high school basketball and football and umpired baseball games. He was instrumental in the building of the Rusk Lions Club baseball and softball complex where he coached youth teams at every level. For many years, Wayne managed, coached and played on the Rusk Merchants semipro baseball team whose games were on Sunday afternoons. A celebration of Wayne’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, June 6, 2022 at Russell Cemetery with Rev. Dr. TJ Gableman and Rev. Raymond Vermillion officiating. There will be no visitation.

Norman Wayne Townsend

June 19, 1927 - May 29, 2022