I First met Jim Townsley at Bartlett state jail
He used to come and volunteer and play guitar at the church services
Being a guitar player myself I would always pay attention and talk to him after the service
He would let me play his guitar for a second or two it was against the rules but he would sneak it to me because he knew How important it was to me
These were the only moment that I like a human being and felt like there was a future and I would be able to play music again someday somewhere
That encouragement and positive influence was at least part of the reason I decided to get my life together and do it the right way
He was the only person there that I felt never looked down on any of us
Whenever there was a service Jim would have to come in very early how about 430 in the morning and drag his amplifier and guitar down what we called the blacktop in the middle of the prison
(That amplifier now sits on the counter in my bedroom)
Years later after I had done my time I was getting back to business back in Austin 
I met a girl
Against all odds and adversity we decided that we would get married and have a child
Then became time for me to meet Karen’s grandparents whom I had heard so much about
Imagine my surprise when I walked in the door and they’re set my old friend Jim Townsley the one who believed in me and said I still had some good left and that I could pull it off if I tried
The one who risked his clearance at the prison just to let me strum the guitar and heal my soul for a minute or two
I used to wait for him to come walking down that blacktop 
“I was in prison and you came to me”
From the moment he welcomed me into his family until the day he died he always made me feel  special he spoke with kindness patience 
The night before he passed his roommate mentioned a near death experience and said he saw Heaven and it was real 
I noticed a sly grin on my old friends face I hugged him and told him I loved him

I miss him every day 

" Grandpa was the best and sweetest person i knew, and he would always make me smile. His stories inspired me to do great things. He will always be my number 1 grandfather. I love him with all my heart, and if i could i would visit the grave everyday for the rest of my life. I miss you grandpa, we all miss you so much! = )

How Daddy got the nickname of the Aviator and overcoming adversity.
Daddy loved to read his Bible but there came a time when he was unable to read his Bible. Daddy had perfect vision for most of his life, however, in 2014 he was diagnosed (by the eye doctor) with a condition called Dry Eye.

Researching on the internet our Sister, Denise bought him a pair of goggles to keep the air away from his eyes. At first, we, sisters wondered if he would wear them, due to they were not your standard looking glasses. We did not wonder for long. Not only did Daddy wear them, but even slept with them on. Wearing the goggles night and day, Daddy's family and friends noticed how he looked like a dashing Aviator and pointed that out to him. Daddy and his goggles made a statement wherever he went along with his many fans adoration. He truly grinned when someone would shout out, Hi, Aviator, or there goes the Aviator!

Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."

Eventually, the time came when his weekly doctor visits, eye drop regime and through the power of prayer, Daddy was healed. Daddy, the Aviator, overcame his adversity and was back to reading his beloved Bible. He went on to complete his goal of reading the complete Bible; front to back many times.

Daddy, I love you, I will always love you.

II.
We, sisters grew up with Daddy playing his guitar while Mama was cooking in the kitchen.From the outside looking in, a person might think we were a noisy bunch but coming inside they would hear Daddy's songs up close and personal and even get an invite to supper.

Gospel and Special Requests. Daddy's special gift of singing and playing his guitar was known by many; he played at church services, family occasions, and birthdays too. He loved having sing-alongs and taking special requests.  In the Sweet By and By.  There's a land that is fairer than day.

Butterflies = Everlasting Life
A Poem by Donna Bonner
 We believe in everlasting life. If proof was needed, on the day we buried Dad, Butterflies appeared. Thousands of them at the Veterans' Cemetery Pavilion in Killeen, Texas.
     That day, my sisters and I couldn't help but notice, admire, and remark on their fragile beauty but also the incredible stamina needed for their migratory journey back to Mexico. We were again struck by God's majesty in the creation of these beautiful tiny beings.
  From that day forward in dealing with the aftermath of Dad's passing, in returning to the funeral home several weeks later to visiting Our Mother at the home, we have been visited each time by at least one butterfly. From a gentle nudge to a loud roar of their delicate wings, it has become abundantly clear that the butterfly visits are not just happenstance or a mere coincidence. Each of us has witnessed their presence in our immediate vicinity to a butterfly actually landing on one of us.
Oddly, while walking into the funeral home about a month after Dad's funeral, a butterfly suddenly appeared and lit on my left knee. It is odd because my left hip and knee had been very painful to me for at least a month. My sisters and I laughed in amazement, and Debbie declared that was Dad praying for my hip and knee. As he always was quick to pray, it was very easy to believe that indeed, he was. My hip and knee no longer bother me - at all.  Happenstance?
     Diane, Debbie, and Denise remembered back on Labor Day, while out at the house, a butterfly had landed on Dad's hand. He looked in wonderment at the wispy creature that seemingly at random chose to land on him.
     We have been worried about Mom and her ability to deal with Dad's passing. On the day that would have been their 69th wedding anniversary, as we were leaving the home, the wind was blowing very hard. As we hastily got into the car, a butterfly fluttered by and joined us. Diane and I were speechless. The wind had assaulted all of our senses, but yet here was a seemingly fragile, near-weightless being, navigating that same power with ease. Coincidence?
     We always have been amazed at butterflies - starting out as caterpillars, going into cocoons, and emerging as these beautifully winged creatures. We will continue with our admiration of butterflies but never will look at them the same again. We believe that butterflies are proof of Everlasting Life.

I wrote the above poem before learning that butterflies are indeed signs from deceased loved ones.  Check out: http://www.ask-angels.com/spirtual-guidance/butterfly-meaning/
Following is more of what is written on this site:
Seeing butterflies shortly after losing a loved one is a beautiful sign that the spirit of your loved one lives on.  Have you had a butterfly land on you, follow you, or catch your attention in another beyond the ordinary way? These are all signs from beyond the physical! In the case of seeing butterflies in connection to deceased loved ones, sometimes angels will send butterflies to comfort and reassure you that the soul of your loved one lives on. Other times your loved one may put some of their soul essence into a butterfly to actually connect with you again. Really, looking at butterflies from a number of angels, the answer appears. These magical winged messengers really are delivering guidance and love from spirit.  So next time you see a butterfly, in addition to marveling at its lightness and ability to float through the sky... Take a moment to quiet your mind, pay attention, and with your intuition, tune in.
Donna Bonner

How Daddy got the nickname of the Aviator and overcoming adversity.
Daddy loved to read his Bible but there came a time when he was unable to read his Bible. Daddy had perfect vision for most of his life, however, in 2014 he was diagnosed (by the eye doctor) with a condition called Dry Eye. 

Researching on the internet our Sister, Denise bought him a pair of goggles to keep the air away from his eyes.  At first, we, sisters wondered if he would wear them, due to they were not your standard looking glasses.  We did not wonder for long.  Not only did Daddy wear them, but even slept with them on.  Wearing the goggles night and day, Daddy's family and friends noticed how he looked like a dashing Aviator and pointed that out to him. Daddy and his goggles made a statement wherever he went.along with his many fans adoration.  He truly grinned when someone would shout out, Hi, Aviator, or there goes the Aviator!

Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." 

Eventually, the time came when his weekly doctor visits, eye drop regime and through the power of prayer, Daddy was healed.  Daddy, the Aviator, overcame his adversity and was back to reading his beloved Bible.  He went on to complete his goal of reading the complete Bible; front to back many times.

Daddy, I love you, I will always love you.  Throughout the years, we, sisters grew with Daddy playing his guitar while Mama was cooking in the kitchen.  From the outside looking in, a person might think we were a noisy bunch but coming inside they would hear Daddy's songs up close and personal and even get an invite to supper.  Singing Gospel songs and others.

These memories were shared at Daddy's Celebration of Life service:

When we lived in San Antonio all of us daughters were very young.  At the end of the day, we would all be waiting for Daddy to come home.  We could hear his dump truck coming long before we saw him, and we would tell Mama, Daddy's coming, Daddy's coming! We were so excited.  And then Mama would tell us to go ahead.  After Mama said go, we would all run down the block and wait, and wave and holler until Daddy stopped for us.  Then, we would all jump on his truck and hang on and Daddy would drive very slow the rest of the way home.  It was the highlight of our day.
Daddy used to laugh when he remembered the time when he told all of us that money was tight and there wouldn't be a lot of food on the table in the coming week.  He said we'll just be eating beans and potatoes, and all of us said yum-yum.  

Daddy used to say we don't have a lot of money, but we sure have a lot of love.

I am proud to carry the name James Monroe Townsley, he was one of my heroes.I cant wait till we meet him again in heaven.   Love James Monroe and Marianne Townsley

These memories were read at Daddy's Celebration of Life Service:

So, how do you sum up the life of someone who has been very dear to you all of your life in a few moments? It's difficult but I will try.
Our Daddy was a hard-working man.  He provided for his family.  Larry, my husband, worked with him for a while and said that Daddy would crack the ice to make mud  mortar for the rock work.  They worked on holidays to get the job done.  Daddy would work all day on his knees building the boxes for the fireplaces, one of his specialties.  
He was a master builder in more ways than building houses, he helped to build churches, build faith, pray for those who needed it, and encouraged those who needed encouragement.
Daddy referred to his daughters as Daughter #1 (Diane), Daughter #2 (Debbie), Daughter #3 (Donna), and Daughter #4 (Denise).  He proudly called us his four daughters.
On Sunday mornings, we would wake up to Daddy strumming his guitar and singing to Gospel music.  I love to hear guitar strumming because it reminds me of him.
At church, Daddy and I would sing special songs together and he would harmonize with me.  My favorite song that we sang was When I Met the Master.
Last weekend, Labor Day weekend, my Aunt Ruby and her children came from Arkansas to visit Daddy and Mama.  Both Daddy and Mama had looked forward to their visit for a month.  We had the opportunity to go out to their house in Shiloh and eat barbeque from Southside Barbeque in Elgin.  We had a wonderful time.  Then on Sunday we had another celebration at Trinity Care Center.  Daddy told everyone how much he loved Mama and what a wonderful wife that she had been to him all of these 68 years going on 69 years next month.  He then gathered everyone around the table and said a rousing prayer, ending in a loud in the name of Jesus Christ and everyone said Amen!  It was the last prayer he prayed for all of us.  On Monday, his physical therapist, Dillon told us that Daddy had walked 70 feet, which was remarkable for Daddy.  Then early Tuesday morning, he went peacefully to walk on those streets of gold and see his Lord.

I love you Daddy, and he would say, I know you do and I love you too.

I wanted paraphrase my memories of my Dad mentioned during the service so that they would not be lost.
-------------------
While my sisters and I were growing up, Dad often lamented the fact that he had four daughters instead of four sons. He always wished he had boys. Dad would say on a regular basis that he was outnumbered and couldn't win. I guess it was his way to get through the frustrations as he generally was good-natured about it. You can just imagine his grumbling when we lived in a house with only one bathroom!

But, one evening in the 1960's after watching the news, he was very sad about the war.  Dad told us how fortunate he was the Good Lord gave him four daughters instead of four sons. Because if he had boys, they would all be going to the VietNam War as their graduation present from Uncle Sam. Yes, indeed, another reason to be grateful for girls!
------------------
People always get a little flustered when they meet my sisters and me because all of our names start with a "D." It was even harder to distinguish between Debbie and me as a lot of people thought we were twins.

But, I suppose that frustration would be exponentially compounded if you're part of the equation that came up with the unique idea to name all of your children "D" names - like our Dad. While you know who we are and our names, you can't say the right name even when you are looking straight at one of us. He often would say "dddD, dddD, dddD," finally going through all of the names until he got to the right one. 

We (my sisters and I) thought it was hysterically funny. The more he tried, the funnier it was. While we tried not to laugh, it was impossible not to. Of course, it wasn't even remotely humorous to him.
------------
Dad,
We love and miss you!
From your third daughter, dddDonna

I wished I could have been there with you all to commemorate and celebrate Uncle Jim's life.  I am so thankful that he took the time to share his love and wisdom with us.  Some monuments are constructed and stand to honor great men and their lives on earth.  However, Uncle Jim was a living stone in the Kingdom of God.  His life was built honoring the Lord and he remained faithful in sharing the gospel. His heart yearned for others to join him in loving Jesus.  One day every earthly monument will pass away. But Uncle Jim's legacy will stand forever. I look forward to the day when we can see him again at the most glorious reunion ever. And I'm praying that "the circle (will) be unbroken"....

Offering our deepest condolences during this difficult time

My heartfelt sympathy to you and your entire family Debbie...Much love and prayers your way.  
Love and miss you here at St. Stephen's!
Missie Thorp

I'm sending my heartfelt sympathy on the passing of Mr. Townsley. I knew him through the eyes of his beautiful daughter, Debra Schuessler. We have lost a very good man who raised a fine family along with his wife. Debbie, please give your mother a hug for me! May God rest James Townsley's soul.

My message is a simple letter to my Grandpa. My Grandpa always loved looking forward in meeting with my wife Christie and his great grandchildren Ethan, Marissa, and Madison. I knew that my Grandpa always loved me and my family and always enjoyed talking with Christie. One day Grandpa mentioned that Christie reminded him of his mom and I thought that was sweet. 

Dear Grandpa in the Country,

I want you to know, I will miss you and I love you. I always will always  remember the times we spent together. I will remember the kind words of encouragement you gave me when I was a child and as a man. Grandpa I remember the times when we pray to Jesus  together on bended knees. Grandpa your love for Jesus shines in your smile for your family and for all the people you met along the way. Grandpa you always had a servant's heart and always labor for the kingdom of God and for people to receive Jesus in their life. Grandpa you weren't never  embarrassed to share the gospel of Jesus and now you can see the Glory of God! Grandpa you ran the race and faithfully finished the race. Thank you for being a Faithful Grandpa and for being a Awesome friend. I will miss you but, I know you always will be with me. One day Jesus will call me home and on that day I will see you soon. I Love You with all of my heart. Thank you for being my Grandpa.

Love your oldest Grandson, 
Dennis

I met Mr. Townsley through his daughter Denise, one of my dearest friends, many years ago and had the pleasure to be around him on several occasions.  You didn't have to be around him long to see that he was a man of God and loved his family dearly.  I always enjoyed talking to him and listening to him talk about the Lord.  In many ways he reminded me of my father.

Father-in-law and Brother in the Lord...Jim was my father-in-law and father of my beautiful wife (Debbie)and grandfather of our children and great-grandfather to our grandchildren.  Debbie and I have 46 years together in a journey of a lifetime.  Jim was loyal to his Lord, family, and others!  His main goal for everyone was to enjoy the salvation of the Lord and to see his loved ones in Heaven.  
NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE SUFFERING, NOW JIM HAS ENTERED INTO THE HEAVEN'S GATES WITH THANKSGIVING.

My Grandpa was a believer. He believed in his family, through thick and thin he was there for us. He believed in the good of everyone around him, he never met a stranger and found something positive in them, which made his work at the prisons invaluable. He believed in hard work, even in his 80s you could see him plowing a field for his garden or tinkering on goodness knows what. He believed in giving, giving love to his family and money to the church. He believed in being happy, little things didn't stop him from having the time of life. He believed in smiles, my favorite was his "sheepish" smile - the one that would slowly cross his face when he's bought yet another broken tractor/car/etc that "just" needs a little tuneup. He believed in speaking his mind, right or wrong and it usually had something to do with taking up for his family. He believed in Jesus, anyone who spoke with Grandpa even five seconds knew of he deep, all encompassing love for Jesus. His faith was literally written all over him, I'm looking at your belt Grandpa! If anyone deserved to a one way ticket to heaven, it would be my Grandpa who gave his heart and soul to his faith.

My Grandpa was an amazing man that we will all miss greatly, but I know he's in heaven having a ball.

Uncle Jimmy was a precious gift sent from God to bring happiness to my life. My children loved Uncle Jimmy and I loved him very much. He was a vey special uncle to me.  May God bless and rest in peace.

Jimmy was a wonderful Christian man. A great friend and relative. He was loved by all who knew him. He was very friendly and would quietly listen to you, which drew you to him. We will miss that smile!  We will be reunited one day.

My Grandpa was a great man. He love Jesus Christ and love his family. He made friends so easy. Everybody like my Grandpa he was truely a friend toward everyone. No one was a stranger to him. He left a great legacy in mylife to love Jesus Christ and to love others. I know he is in Heaven with Jesus and his family. I will see him in Heaven one day. Love you Grandpa.

Uncle Jimmy personified grace, humility and unconditional love.  He was and still is one of my heroes.  He will be greatly missed.  His work as a minister and a healer through prayer is insurmountable.  love, prayers and hugs for everyone during this difficult time.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

James (Jim ) Townsley

27 décembre 1927 – 6 septembre 2016

Condra Funeral Home

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