Roland J. Townsend Jr.

Roland J. Townsend Jr., age 93, of Pearland, Texas passed away In his home on Thursday March 14, 2019. Roland was born in San Antonio, Texas on May 18, 1925 to Roland and Octava (Jack and Betty) Townsend.

Roland is preceded in death by his parents, four loving wives; Doris, Helen, Virginia and Florine, one son; RJ Townsend, III (Ronny), one sister; Gloria Coulter and one precious grandchild; Stephen. He is survived by his daughters; Starlet Taylor (Brian) and Beverly Townsend, his brother Gary Townsend, five grandchildren; RJ, Virginia (Ginnie), Brian Jr., Jacob, and Laura, and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a stepson, Ron Penland, a stepdaughter, Sandy Palmquest, ther spouses, children and grandchildren and preceded in death by a step-granddaughter.

Roland graduated from Milby High School, where he was in the ROTC, at the age of 16 . After high school he married his sweetheart Doris and on his eighteenth birthday he joined the Marines during World War II, leaving a job at the shipyard where he was a first-class welder. He went to boot camp at Camp Pendleton, California and was stationed in Cherry Point, North Carolina and Port Arthur, Texas. While in the Marines, Roland was blessed with a son, Roland Joseph Townsend, III, known to all as Ronny. After the Marines, Roland attended the University of Houston.

In 1956 Roland married Virginia Denney and they had two daughters, Starlet and Beverly. He was a good provider and a devoted father, orchestrating many family vacations and eventually caring for Virginia during her battle with cancer, which she lost in 1975.

After Virginia’s death, Roland married Florine “Flo” Duncan and they worked hard and saved and were able to take cruises and trips to Las Vegas on occasion. They retired and enjoyed their grandchildren and remained together until Flo’s death from leukemia.

Roland always worked and was self-employed as a heavy equipment operator when he was hired by a paving materials company and made operations manager. He eventually became a vice-president at Radcliff Materials, a division of Southern Industries - now Carmeuse Lime & Stone. He was a busy business executive but always made time for his family and friends whether is was eating out or visiting or both. He had a generous heart and gave faithfully to charities but he loved watching all the news channels and keeping up with what was going on, not just in the world around him, but everywhere.

Family will be receiving friends on Monday, March 18, 2019 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, TX 77023. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 beginning at 12:30 PM with the interment to follow in the Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ForestParkLawndaleFH.com for the Townsend family.