Rowena Lafrades Townsend

Rowena Lafrades (Ro) Townsend was born on June 5th, 1963 in a small city in the Philippines called Badoc. She moved to the United States when she was 16 years old and finished getting her AA degree. Ro lived a good 55 years and passed away Saturday March 9th, 2019, following an 11 year battle with metastatic breast cancer. She passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family. Ro is survived by her mother, Juanita, her husband Samuel, her two children, Shaquille and Esther, and her three step-children, Shavonne, Sam Jr., and Monya.

Ro was a devoted wife, mother and friend who truly enjoyed and cherished the time she spent with her family and friends.

Ro had a heart of gold. Anyone who knew her would know, she would give you the shirt off her back and then ask if you needed her pants as well.

Ro was a renowned fisher woman, as she would say, and one of the Seattle Mariners biggest fans (TRUE TO THE BLUE). She also was a committed member to her church, Trinity Life Center, where her and her family have attended for over 20 years.

Ro was not defined by her disease, she was defined by her character, her love, and her faith in God. She had seen the cancer coming, accepted the challenge, but never did she once let the cancer take away her joy. At the end of her battle is when the most amazing thing happens. Cancer loses it strength and grace appears, and in the end, grace and love win, not cancer.

May that same strength, joy and faithfulness that Ro had flow through each and every one us as the sun rises once again. Though Ro has passed, her legacy of the hearts that she touched will live on forever.