CAROLYN SUE (CAMPBELL) TOWNES
CAROLYN SUE (CAMPBELL) TOWNES
Carolyn was born in Kirksville, Missouri, to Junior and Neva Mae (Christman) Campbell of Hurdland, Missouri, on September 9, 1942. She graduated from Hurdland High School in 1960 as salutatorian. Carolyn attended Northeast Missouri State Teacher’s College in 1961.
She married Herbert Edward Townes on May 22, 1961. They moved to Kansas City, MO and worked for a year before moving to St. Louis, MO. Her daughter, Cindy, was born on January 13, 1967. Carolyn graduated from UMSL with a bachelor’s in education in 1969.
Carolyn taught junior high school social studies for five years before becoming an Area Representative for THEOS (They Help Each Other Spiritually), a self-help group for young and middle-aged widowed men and women. She helped form new chapters of THEOS in the St. Louis metropolitan area, Iowa, and Illinois.
After THEOS, Carolyn decided to work in the mental health field. She earned her Master’s in Social Work from SLU in 1990 and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She worked for the Missouri Dept. of Mental Health until her retirement in 2002.
Carolyn is survived by her daughter, Cindy [Steve] Ritchey; two step-daughters, Kathleen Grimsley and Karen Townes; three grandchildren, Bryce, Gillian, and Greyson Ritchey; brother-in-law, Conrad Binyon; brother, Kenneth [Betty] Campbell; niece, Kristina Peterson; nephew, Bradley Campbell; and other nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Family who preceded her in death are her sister, Cathy Campbell Binyon; her parents, Junior and Neva Campbell; paternal grandparents, Ralph and Josephine Campbell; maternal grandparents, Earl and Myrtle Christman; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Carolyn was a member of Bethesda Evangelical Church in St. Louis, MO and will be greatly missed by family and friends who loved her.
Visitation was held Saturday, September 3rd from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. with funeral service starting immediately after at Bethesda Evangelical Church, 85 Lemay Gardens Drive, St. Louis, MO 63125. Burial was at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Monday, September 5th.
Arrangements under the direction of Kutis South County Chapel 5255 Lemay Ferry Road.
