Obituary of Charles "Chuck" Townsend

Charles “Chuck” Townsend passed away peacefully on June 3, 2020 at his home in The Villages, FL, surrounded by family and friends. He was 77 years young. Chuck was born on July 10, 1942 in San Diego, CA to Charles Walter and Dorothy Evans Townsend. He was raised in Lincoln, NE and Denver, CO.

 

After graduating from Colorado State University in 1964, Chuck was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force and began his aviation career as a fighter pilot. He flew the F-4 Phantom during combat missions over north Vietnam and upon his return stateside, he transitioned to the F-106 Delta Dart, flying as an interceptor pilot at Wurtsmith AFB, MI and Selfridge AFB, MI. In 1968, he was deployed from Michigan to fly intercept missions out of south Korea during the Pueblo incident. After his tour as an instructor pilot in the F-106 at Tyndall AFB, FL, he separated from his USAF active-duty career. He then joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard as a reserve officer assigned to the 101st Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Otis ANGB, MA. At Otis, he became an active-duty, full-time alert pilot, and served also as an F-106 instructor pilot and squadron standardization and evaluation officer. He was named “Top Gun” at Interceptor Weapons School in 1975. Retiring from the Massachusetts ANG with the rank of Lt. Colonel, he holds the world record for flying the most hours in the F-106, a single-engine fighter jet, logging 4,410.6 hours. In the Air Force community of his peers, he is known as “Mr. 106”. His military awards include two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 10 Air Medals and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm. As if all this were not enough, in 1989 he began a second career in commercial aviation, again retiring in July 2002, as a First Officer in the B-747 flying to Asia for United Air Lines.

 

 “Fighter pilot” captures the essence of Chuck’s personality. His life was filled with high energy and adventure, always “living on the edge”. He loved motorcycles and fast cars. He loved traveling the USA in his motorhome. He loved animals. At times, he would pull a pet trailer behind his motorcycle with one of his four beloved German shepherds, all named Niko. Chuck loved to be around people, the more the merrier, and never met a stranger. He was an avid golfer, who enjoyed many rounds and 19th-hole happy hours with his golf buddies. He was a friend to many, a proud father, a special uncle, a dedicated brother, and a loving husband to Kathy, who he said was the best thing that ever happened to him. He was a tall and handsome man with a booming voice, a warrior, patriot and hero! Kathy describes him as “larger than life”. She was his rock, not only during his illness but during his healthy years, as well...always doing for him before herself. He resided in Falmouth, MA from 1972 to 2007, when he and Kathy moved to The Villages, FL, a place he cherished.

 

Chuck is survived by his wife of 38 years, Kathleen (Falk) Townsend; daughter Tiffany (Mike) Finnel; son Charles “Chad” (Katie) Townsend; grandchildren Sean, Brett and Lily Finnel and Anabelle and Will Townsend; brother Lt. Colonel Bill (Larrie) Townsend; sisters-in-law Denise (Colin) West and Donna (Steve) Fraser; nephew Clay (Katie) Townsend; and nieces Morgan and Kelsey West.

 

Chuck was laid to rest with proper military honors at Florida National Cemetery on Friday, November 6, 2020. In lieu of flowers, your kind donation will lovingly honor his memory. Donations to Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation in Support of GI Tumor Division, PO Box 23827, Tampa, FL 33623-3827 or online at moffitt.org/give; or Folds of Honor, Department 13, Tulsa, OK 74182 or online at foldsofhonor.org/donate.

 

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