Harrison “Harry” Townsend, III died in his sleep on November 3, 2020. He was born as the son Harrison and Betty Park Townsend of Montecito, California on December 20, 1930. He grew up in Montecito and attended Laguna Blanca School. In 1954, Harry married the love of his life, Laura Abeloe, whom he met as an undergraduate at Stanford University. They were married in the old All Saints Episcopal Church on Eucalyptus Ln. in Montecito.
Harry worked as an assistant civil engineer for the State of California, first as part of the Department of Transportation in Salinas, California and then the Department of Forestry in Madera and Pine Grove. Towards the end of his 32 year career, he was sent out to map wildfires. Recently, Harry remarked in exasperation, that the fires back then were much smaller than they are now. After retirement, they moved to Bend, Oregon in 1989.
Throughout his life Harry had a passion for Amateur Radio, with the call signs of K6ELR and KI7MM. He taught hunter safety courses to youth in Salinas and at the Central Oregon Shooting Sports Association in Bend. He was active in Madera Ski Club, Search and Rescue in Pine Grove, and a docent for the High Desert Museum in Bend. He passed along some of his passion for firearms and knives to his children and grandchildren.
Harry is survived by his wife of 66 years, Laura, sons Peter (Sachiko) of Hawaii, Dixon (Karen) of Georgia, daughters Linda (Matthew) Moreno of California, Paula (Scott) Vived of California, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Harry and Laura felt it important that they be with nature in their death. As such, they made funeral arrangements with the Neptune Society and requested that no services be held. The family is honoring these wishes.
