Jack M. Townsend

Jack M. Townsend, born July 8, 1930, was the 8th of 9 children born to J. C. and Ettie Mae [Nash) Townsend in Kaufman County, Texas.Jack passed away January 10, 2020 in Dallas, Texas following declining health. Jack was raised on the family farm north of Forney and attended Forney public schools.He married Mae Barnes of Rockwall, Texas on January 20, 1950.Together, they raised 3 daughters Kathy, Karen, and Kim (affectionately known as the “3K’s”), in Forney and Katy, Texas.Jack and Mae additionally resided in Brookshire, San Augustine, and Lufkin before moving to Dallas in 2015.They were married for 68 years prior to Mae's passing. Jack was many things to many people.He was a fervent Christian, husband, father, Pepaw, brother, provider, and loyal friend.Everything he was involved in, whether business or personal, was to serve God and others.Starting as a rancher as a young father, he later served banking customers in Katy, delivered propane to rural customers in Brookshire, and provided residential water services to residents around Lake Sam Rayburn. Jack faithfully served as a deacon at First Baptist Church, San Augustine.While living in San Augustine, he had the sharpest chainsaw around.He took care of sawing and removing most of the downed trees in the area for his friends and neighbors.All he asked in return was to keep the wood and was rewarded with a stash of firewood that might still be there today.He was a master fire-builder, outside or inside. His “Pepaw fires” were legendary.With forearms like Popeye, there wasn’t much this resourceful man would not try and could not do. Jack was the perfect Pepaw to his 5 grandkids on Lake Sam Rayburn or in San Augustine.Spring breaks at the lake with Jack and Mae, Uncle David and Aunt Dean, Uncle Hayden and Aunt Millie, and all their friends were epic – camping, fishing, cards, dominos, fish-fries, 4-wheeling – always followed by church on Sunday. At the Townsend home in San Augustine, Jack cut trails on the acreage and countless hours were spent 4-wheeling.Pepaw and Memaw’s was the place for swinging on the deck, shooting clay pigeons, sliding down the hill on boxes and just being with family. Jack was also an active volunteer with the Texas Baptist Men Retiree Builders. He and Mae travelled thousands of miles, in their Suburban pulling their Airstream trailer, through the lower 48 and Canada on construction jobs for TBM.Since 2015, Jack was a member of Cliff Temple Baptist Church in Dallas. Jack was preceded in death by his wife Mae, parents and 7 siblings.He is survived by his daughters: Kathy Hamilton (Randy) of Burnet, Karen Hatley (Warren) of Dallas, and Kim Johnson of Lufkin.He leaves five grandchildren:Brian Hamilton (Lesley) of Tomball; Kristi Arrowood (Matt) of Houston; Reed Hatley (Jessica) of Midlothian; Don Johnson III (Kelly) of Houston; and Cole Johnson of Houston. Jack has 7 great-grandchildren: Hudson, Colton, and Jack Hamilton; Kaylee Jo and Katelyn Arrowood; and Harper and Knox Hatley.He is survived by a brother David Townsend of Forney.His 19 nieces and nephews, some deceased, share many fond memories. Even in death, Jack continues to serve.The donation of his brain to the Brain Support Network will enable research to continue toward better treatment or cure for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), the rare neurological disease he was diagnosed with in 2016. A visitation will be held Saturday February 1, 2020, from 9 am to 10 am at New Hope Funeral Home in Sunnyvale, Texas.Funeral services will follow at 10 am at New Hope, with burial at Hillcrest Cemetery in Forney.In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Hillcrest Cemetery Fund, PO Box 1033, Forney, Texas 75126 or the Brain Support Network, PO Box 7264, Menlo Park, CA 94026 by check or on-line at https://brainsupportnetwork.org/donate. Jack and Mae are now reunited in Heaven, just as promised.We can all imagine Mae’s greeting – “What in the thunder took you so long to get here”?