Lillian Wallace Stewart Townsen

Lillian Wallace Stewart Townsen, 92 passed from this life on Friday, February 14, 2014. Graveside services will be Saturday, February 22, 2014 at 10:30 at the Hale Center Cemetery and a memorial service at 1:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Hale Center with Rev. Bill Couch officiating. Visitation will be held at Kornerstone Funeral Home in Plainview from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2014. Arrangements are under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview. She was born on December 15, 1921 to Minnie and Wallace Stewart in Hale Center, Texas, where she grew up and attended school, graduating in 1939. This was also the year she met a young, handsome apprentice railroad operator from Adamsville, Texas, named Velon Townsen. He soon became the love of her entire adult life and they were married on December 2, 1939, and celebrated over 65 years together until his death in 2005. Early in their marriage, they traveled around the “Slaton division” for the Santa Fe Railroad as Velon was doing relief work at various stations. This was a fun time for the young couple with many adventures and new friends. When Velon enlisted in the Army during WWII and was sent to Europe, Lillian and their daughter Roxanne moved to Lubbock to work and be with family. After his return, they moved to Whiteface, Texas, where their three other children were born. In 1956, the family returned to Hale Center, where they remained until all their children were grown. Lillian was a Methodist and very active in the church for many years. She served as church secretary, sang in the choir, was involved with the Methodist Women and later became very involved with the Gideons International Auxiliary. She worked for the Hale Center I.S.D. in the library for a while and high school secretary for many years. She was the first woman ever awarded an “Honorary Chapter Degree” by the Hale Center FFA. Lillian seldom missed a high school football or basketball game. Even though she loved her friends, activities and all the school kids, her greatest love was for her family. She was so much fun and loved to laugh and be surrounded by her family. Lillian was preceded in death by her husband Velon Townsen, her parents Minnie and Wallace Stewart, one brother and sister-in-law, Bert Stewart and wife Lorene, one sister and brother-in-law, Irene Massey and husband Pat, and brother-in-law Bob Barnett. She is survived by her loving sister, Ruth Barnett of Muleshoe, four children; daughter Roxanne Rhea and husband Hud, of Roswell, New Mexico, son Don Townsen and wife Barbara, of Nowata, Oklahoma, daughter Judy Speir and husband Walter, of Dallas, Texas, and son Stewart Townsen and wife Kristi of Lubbock, twelve grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends, and one very special life long friend, Virginia Ann (Red) Kirkpatrick of Arizona. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your favorite charity, Gideons International or the Children’s Home of Lubbock.