John Frank Townsend

06/30/1939 - 03/19/2019

Obituary For John Frank Townsend

John Frank Townsend was born June 30, 1939 in Bartow (Polk County), Florida to the late Johnnie Cecil Townsend and Mattie Mae Healey Townsend.

John attended Union Academy Bartow (K-12), where he played football and graduated with the Class of 1958. UA was affectionately known as The Home of Champions, where the Tiger lived into the next millennium.

He was joined in Holy Matrimony to Queen Esther Souter in Miami-Dade County, Florida on May 29, 1962, where they lived until moving to Ft. Pierce, FL in 1963. To that union was born Antella Nerel Townsend.

John Townsend was a member of The Church of the Kingdom of God, Bartow, FL, where he accepted Christ at a young age under Prince Jacob Jones. His membership remained there until relocating to Fort Pierce, where he joined the Greater Mount Pleasant Primitive Baptist Church under the late Elder S.P. Kilpatrick and upon his retirement, John remained an active and faithful member under Elder Charles L. Hendley. Brother Townsend was a member of the Church School, Male Chorus, served on the Trustee Board and served as Chairman of Men’s Day several times. He also supported the Kitchen Ministry whenever the Brotherhood was in charge.

Upon graduation from Union Academy, Bartow and after a short stint working in the Coal Mines, John enrolled at Florida Normal and Industrial College of St. Augustine, FL. The name was eventually changed to Florida Memorial College where he graduated in 1963 with a Bachelors of Elementary Education. John Townsend began teaching for the St. Lucie County School System with his first appointment at Chester A. Moore Elementary School as a 5th grade teacher, then moving on to Dan McCarty Middle School as Dean of Students. John continued his education and earned a Masters in Administration and Supervision in 1974 from Florida Atlantic University of Boca Raton, Fl. Upon his completion he was assigned to Lincoln Park Middle School as Assistant Principal and finally appointed as the Inaugural Principal of Northport Middle School of Port St. Lucie, FL until retirement in 2000. His appointment as Principal afforded he and wife Queen S. Townsend the honor to be named the first husband and wife team to serve as Principals in St. Lucie County School.

John Townsend also worked for St. Lucie County Parks and Recreation as Director of the Lincoln Park Recreation Center where he touched countless young men and women. He also served as a Tutor for the Minute Maid Migrant Program for Adult Literacy, with a passion to help undereducated men to better themselves through education.

Mr. Townsend was initiated through the Kappa Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., at Florida Memorial College in 1960 and became affiliated with the Omicron Tau Chapter, Ft. Pierce and is a Life Member with more than 55 years of service. He was also a member of the Masons, Par 5 Golf Association and the Gold Coast Riders Motorcycle Club. For a short period upon retirement from his professional career, John bought a Tractor Trailer and drove long distance.

He leaves to rejoice in his home going those who will forever treasure his memory as follows: a loving and devoted wife Queen of Port St. Lucie, FL; daughter Antella Townsend, Miami, FL; son Jonathan Robinson, Bartow, FL; (3) grandsons Vernon (Melissa) Jones, Tampa, FL, Andre Jones, Tallahassee, FL, Jonathan Robinson, Jr., Haines City, FL;(1) great-grandson, Landon Blake Jones; sisters-in-law, Idell (Levi) Souter-Robinson, Miami, FL, Shirley Jones Townsend of Atlanta, GA; brother-in-law John D. Souter, St. Petersburg, FL; uncle, Joseph Jackson, Silver Springs, MD; aunt Carlene Healey, Inkster, MI; niece, Sherrie Townsend-Golden, Washington, DC, nephew RodneyTownsend, Atlanta, GA; a host of cousins including Pastor Henry (Connie) Healey; goddaughter, Betty Marshall, godson Aaron J. Mullins; special Caregivers Jackie (Sarah) Robinson, William Hill; and sorrowing friends, neighbors and church family.

Public visitaion for Mr. John Townsend will take place on Friday, March 29, 2019 from 4:00pm-7:00pm at Stone Brothers Funeral Home in Fort Pierce, FL. Funeral services will convene on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 1:00pm at Greater Mount Pleasant Primitive Baptist Church in Fort Pierce, FL. Burial will follow in Riverview Memorial Park in Fort Pierce, FL.