Gerald (Gary) Keith Townsend

(Gary) Townsend of Wadesville, Indiana formerly of Cadiz, Kentucky went home to be with the Lord on December 17. He died at home due to an inoperable cancer which was diagnosed on September 1, 2020. He was born October 1, 1944 in Albion, Illinois to the late Clarence Townsend and Pauline (Survance) Lawrence.
Gary graduated from Crossville High School in 1962.  He became a registered nurse and pursued a career in nurse anesthesia at Detroit Receiving hospital in Detroit, Michigan where he met his wife of 54 years Marguerita (Rita) Townsend. It was at this time that the Vietnam war was underway. He got a letter that he was going to be drafted; therefore together, he and his wife joined the Armed Forces and became the first husband and wife nurse team in the Navy. Gary was a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) and the pastor of His Church in Cadiz, Kentucky.
Gary is survived by his wife, Rita; his brothers and sisters in law, Daryl and Linda Townsend of Jackson, Tennessee; Kevin and Jill Lawrence of Washington, Indiana; his son and daughter in law, Philip and Lisa Townsend of Cadiz, Kentucky; his daughter and son in law, Alesia and Lee Brown of Wadesville, Indiana; his grandchildren Steven and Amber Atkins of Indian Mound, Tennessee; Philip and Lacey Townsend of Cadiz, Kentucky; Luke Brown of Wadesville, Indiana; Leah and Allison Polokoff of Evansville, Indiana; Tyler Francis; Adriana Scott and Adrian (AJ) Scott of Cadiz, Kentucky;  his great grandchildren, Grant and Harper Atkins of Indian Mound Tennessee.
He was preceded in death by his parents and great grandson, Philip Townsend IV.