Lee Townsend

Lee Townsend passed away on Monday December 15, 2025, in St. Louis Missouri. Carroll was born on October 21, 1943, in St. Joseph Missouri to the late Lloyd Byron Townsend and Laverne Wren Townsend, and was named Carroll Lee after his step-grandfather, Carroll Gordon.

Lee was the beloved husband of Phyllis for 55 years. He was the loving father of Jeanna Woods (John Woods), Joanna Ehlers (Robert Ehlers), and Jaimee Vandenboogaard; he was the proud grandfather of Atlas James Ehlers and Elizabeth Rose Ehlers. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and students.

Lee graduated from Northwest Missouri State with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts. He then went on to further his education at Missouri University earning a Masters Degree in Political Science. While at Mizzou, he worked for a professor translating Russian from journals. He taught at Winnetonka High School for 33 years and coached football and track.

Lee met Phyllis in 1968 at Missouri University while waiting in line to get tickets for The Supremes and they struck up a conversation. They started with a long-distance relationship writing lots of letters to each other. Lee went back to St Joseph and Phyllis back to St. Louis. They ended their long-distance relationship in marriage on December 26, 1970. They started growing their family in 1976 by welcoming their daughter Jeanna, Joanna in 1979 and then Jaimee in 1983. Lee loved it when his grandchildren Atlas and Elizabeth would spend the night and they would eat ice cream on the deck. He loved spicy foods and his wife's cooking and baking.

Lee was active in church activities at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Kansas City as both a deacon and a youth minister. He was interested in photography, taking wedding photos on the weekends, and weightlifting, even holding a record for highest bench press in Maryville. He enjoyed swimming and traveling. Tybee Island in Georgia was one of many family vacations where he and Phyllis almost drowned during King Tide. He fell into a river with his Nikon camera in Northern Michigan and almost fell off a mountain in Colorado. While in Germany, he visited Dachau and broke a chandelier. The family also visited Hitler's Eagles Nest. One of his least favorite trips was to visit the Farallon Islands. He visited many Civil War historical sites. Annual trips to Branson and Silver Dollar City at Christmas were great memories with family and friends.

Lee loved trains, in his excitement while visiting the train store at Crown Center, he inadvertently cracked his head on the glass store front.

These adventures show a life well-lived and well-loved.

Relatives and friends are invited to the Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 1441 NE Englewood Rd, Kansas City, MO 64118. Visitation will be held 10-11 a.m., followed by the Service at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to Northminster Presbyterian Church.

Please share condolences and memories at www.dwnwhitechapel.com.