Dr. John Duncan Townsley passed away peacefully on August 7, 2021. He spent his last day with his loving wife, Maria Inés Townsley, and his three children, Helen Claire Townsley Owens , Ruth Maria Townsley Stemberger and Stephen John Townsley. He is also survived by two son-in-laws (Paul Owens and Brian Stemberger), his daughter-in-law (Alyson Townsley), six grandchildren (Austin and Nick Owens, Andrew, Megan and Katherine Stemberger, Finn Townsley) and his step-son (Russell Spear). 

John was born outside of London, England, on July 19, 1933 to Albert Townsley and Ellen Evelyn Barraclough. As a child, he developed his love of nature which led to a love of science as a way to understand the natural world. He served in the British army in Malaya and then earned his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Leeds in 1959. He emigrated to the US in 1962 with his first wife, Veronica Finnegan, to do research at the Worcester Foundation in Massachusetts. Later, he was a professor of biochemistry at Ohio State. He retired from the National Institutes of Health after 25 years of primary research (NICHD) and grants administration (NIDR). 

John had the good fortune to meet and fall in love with Maria in 1999 and they were married in 2008. John is remembered by his children as loving and instilling a curiosity about the world that could only be satisfied by learning.
He was very social and loved being active, from preparing delicious four-course dinner parties for family and friends, to running races including the Marine Corps Marathon, and watching films and theater productions of all kinds. Visiting other cultures and lands was very important to him, and he encouraged his children and grandchildren to value it as well. Finally, music was always a joy and comfort for him, something he was able to enjoy even as his health declined. 

 When asked how he wanted to be remembered, he wrote “I believe I was blessed with more than my share of good fortune and trust that I used my talents to leave the earth a little better for my having passed through it.” Those who were fortunate enough to know him, know that he did.
A celebration of John’s life will be held in the Fall. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Fresh Air Fund (freshair.org) which is one of his favorites among the many charitable organizations he supported. This organization provides life-changing summer experiences for children from New York City’s underserved communities.