Doris Townsend

Doris E. Townsend passed away peacefully in Shelton, WA on September 17, 2010 at the age of 90. She was born to Paul and Dorothy Newman in Yakima, WA on August 3, 1920. As a young child she moved with her family to Olympia, WA where she attended St. Michael’s Catholic School. She was chosen as St. Martin’s College Homecoming Queen in 1940 and Olympia Ski Club Queen. She worked at Ft. Lewis PX prior to marrying our father, Floyd, on August 17, 1942 and they were married for 67 years.She devoted her life to raising her three children and spoiling her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. While raising her family on Hicks Lake, she passed on her love of trees, flowers, dogs, cats, and horses to her children. She and Floyd were quite a team and ran a fireworks stand on many 4th of Julys to finance family trailer trips to the Oregon Coast. When her children were in their teens, she worked at Kresek’s Women’s Sportswear, where she excelled at sharing her sense of style. She and Floyd traveled to Hawaii and Mexico and upon retirement embarked on an RV trip around the perimeter of the U.S. They reminisced often with many fond memories. They loved wintering in Arizona for several years. She was a member of the Catholic Church and enjoyed volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul in Olympia. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile and the joy she gave to others. Surviving Doris are her two daughters, Toni Determan of Shelton, WA and Trish Bradley of Prescott, AZ; her son, Lee Townsend of Lacey, WA; 3 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; her brother, Don Newman of Olympia, WA; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Floyd; her sisters, Francis Ann Donnelly and Pauline Scott; and her granddaughter Melissa Smith. Please sign the guestbook and leave condolences by clicking on "View Guestbook" below.