It is with great sadness that the family of Caryl Evelyn Townsend, of Vincent, Ala., announce her passing on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021 at the age of 69. She had been ill for a few months and died of cardiac arrest at Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital, Birmingham, Ala.
Caryl was the younger (hidden surprise) of identical twin girls born April 8, 1952 in Burlington to Charles and Loeva (nee Fell) Bullis. She was the granddaughter of Perry and Pearl (nee Wiesenthal) Fell and Allen and Mabel (nee Fohr) Bullis. She met her husband James Frank Townsend in 1983 while she was living in Riverside, Calif. They were married a year later on March 9, 1984.
Caryl grew up in Union Grove and Waterford and loved being part of a large, multi-generational family. She was a happy child with a sweet personality, bright smile, and engaging laugh. She attended elementary schools in Union Grove and North Cape, and Waterford High School from 1966 to 1968. Her family moved to Menominee, Mich. in summer 1968. She graduated from Menominee High School in 1970 and returned to Wisconsin to begin her career as a legal secretary and administrative assistant, first in the Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office and thereafter transitioning to private law firms.
Caryl was previously married to Lawrence Haasch from 1972 to 1973 and Monte Hood from 1974 to 1978. In 1981, she and her children moved to Riverside, Calif. She accepted a position at the well-known law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLC. She retired in 2017 having worked her entire 47 year career delivering the highest levels of administrative support and confidentiality to law professionals. In further personal education, she completed 60 units of theology courses, a medical transcription certificate program, and obtained certification as a Microsoft Office Specialist.
In 1994, Caryl was honored to be one of many volunteers at President Richard Nixon’s state funeral held at the Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, Calif. In 1997, she and her husband moved to Corona, Calif. and resided there for 23 years.
In 2017, Caryl was diagnosed with cancer and an unrelated brain tumor. She underwent multiple surgeries and treatments and was in remission in 2020. Her dream for retirement was to leave California and spend time with her twin sister. In the fall of 2020, she and her husband moved to the quiet rural town of Vincent, Ala. She and Cheryl were able to spend many weeks of quality time together.
Caryl enjoyed music, movies, dancing, theatre, politics, Green Bay Packers football, family history, interior decorating, helping others, and spending time with family. She had a strong faith in God, ethical wisdom, emotional intelligence, generosity, kindness and the ability to graciously accept and handle life’s inevitable imperfections and challenges. Her life was a living example of her servant’s heart. She understood the life and purpose of Jesus in its full power and throughout her life, she not only put other’s needs above her own, she served only with motivation centered in God. She worked very hard. She deeply loved her family. God’s peace was always with her. She measured richness of her life in grace in the joy by which she lived and the love she leaves behind. Shortly before Caryl passed away, she thanked her family and caregivers for their care. She sensed the Lord would call her home very soon, and she wanted her family to know that she had a wonderful life and thanked everyone who made it so.
Caryl will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 37 years, James Townsend; children, Kristin Reed (Tim) of Milwaukee, Camile Townsend (David Bailey) of Irvine, Calif., and Damian Townsend (Julie Arteaga) of Tustin, Calif.; stepsons Tracy Grey of Martinsville, Va. and Tyran Townsend of Vallejo, Calif.; grandchildren Makenna (Austin) Mealy of Waterford, Alyson Reed of West Allis, and Averie Castro of Santa Barbara, Calif.; and great-grandchildren Oaklyn and August Mealy. She is further survived by four cherished sisters and their husbands: Cheryl (Fred) Buyarski of Sharpsburg, Ga., Caren (George) Schultz of Sheboygan, Dawn (Todd) Thoune of Menominee, Mich. and Leslie (Ray) Bencivenga of Germantown; her much loved Townsend relatives of Martinsville, Va.; her paternal aunt Joyce Kania of Franklin; and a vast extended family which include many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and dear friends.
Caryl was preceded in death by her parents Charles Bullis in 2013 and Loeva Keller in 2010; her in-laws John Townsend in 1988 and Odaris Townsend in 2018; a sister Claire Edmond in 2013 and brother-in-law Robert Edmond in 2021; nephew George C. Schultz in 2004; niece Rebecca Schultz in 2020; and other relatives.
Per Caryl’s wishes, a memorial service and interment will be held in Burlington in 2022 at a date to be determined. Donations in Caryl’s memory may be made to English Settlement UMC, 28215 Plank Road, Burlington, WI 53105 with designation to Eagle Creek Cemetery maintenance.
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