On April 5th, 2022, after nearly 59 years of hard work and dedication to family and loved ones, Jeffrey Watson Townsend passed away unexpectedly due to heart complications. Jeff managed to fit a tremendous amount of life into his time on this earth, carving out a legacy in the hearts of his family and friends.

Born on April 17th, 1963, Jeff was the youngest of four children. His father passed away when Jeff was only three years old, and it was largely his mother who, raising her children as a single mother, poured into him and his siblings the virtues of shrewdness, grit, and selflessness. When you pair his strong work ethic with his hotrod and silky feathered locks, one can hardly blame Shawneen for falling in love with him - he was the total package.

Sure enough, Jeff and Shawneen married on December 1, 1983. Over the course of their marriage, they weathered countless trials together. Jeff and Shawneen had three children: Amber, Heather, and Jeffrey (Mark). Jeff would have the opportunity his father didn’t – to raise his children and have a direct hand in teaching them how life tends to work best. He was honest in his insecurities that came with being a father, but he didn’t let it stop him from being a constant positive influence on his family.

In some years, the Townsend family had plenty; in others, the budget was impossibly tight. But every year regardless, there was laughter. Laughter and passion were always central in the Townsend home. While unconfirmed by his doctors, it is believed that he maintained his youthful good looks by feeding on the embarrassment of others – his children being the most reliable source of fuel.

Jeff modeled hard work throughout his entire life, most recently as a baker at HEB. He modeled wisdom in the words he would share with others – “Nothing lasts forever! Good things, bad things. Nothing on earth is permanent.” He modeled love with his presence – capping off every family adventure with a “We made a good memory today, didn’t we.” He modeled humor with…well, with most everything he did and spoke.

He lived for his family (including his two giant dogs, Duke and Cooper) and his family misses him dearly. He is missed as “Knight in Shining Armor” by his wife of over 38 years, Shawneen Townsend. He is missed as “G-pa” by Faith, Savannah, Trae, Tyler, Cara, Elliot, Rorie, Ellison, and Isla. He is missed as “baby brother” by Larry Townsend, Brenda Townsend, Lori Orozco, and their spouses. He is missed as “Dad” by Amber Bauer, Heather LaFreniere, Mark Townsend, and their spouses. He is missed as “Uncle Jeff” by countless nieces and nephews. To know him is to laugh at him, to laugh with him, and to love him.

Jeff’s community of family, friends, and coworkers will be celebrating his life on Friday, April 29th, 2022 at 10:00AM CT at Bannockburn Church (7100 Brodie Ln, Austin, TX 78745). We celebrate because we know that Jeff followed Jesus on this earth and continues to follow Jesus in Heaven. Our grief is for our loss, but our joy is for Jeff’s gain; we look forward to the day when we will be reunited.

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