Verla Jean Townsend

November 5, 1933 – January 7, 2022

Verla Jean Townsend of Tucson, AZ passed away on January 7, 2022. She fell while dancing on New Year’s Eve. Verla loved dancing and certainly danced her way out of this life into the arms of her loved ones who awaited her.

Verla was born on November 5, 1933, in Emmet, ID to Alton Peay and Emma Pearl Colson. She moved to Cowiche, WA in her early teens, where she attended and graduated from Highland High School. While there, she met Eugene Townsend, who became her high school sweetheart. They were married on February 13, 1953. After Gene finished college in Ellensburg, WA and after living in several small towns in eastern Washington, Verla and Gene moved their family to Oak Harbor, WA in 1963 to own and operate the Miklo Drive-In, an A&W style drive-in restaurant. Verla loved her time in beautiful Oak Harbor and made many lifelong friends there. In 1978, they closed the Miklo and moved back to Cowiche in 1980. Gene was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1999. Verla was very patient with Gene and spent many long hours lovingly caring for him until his death on March 13, 2013. In 2016, she moved to Tucson, Arizona to live with her son Dan and his wife Kim. Later, in May 2020, she moved into Fellowship Square, a retirement community in Tucson, where she enjoyed the activities and friends she had there.

Verla was a happy, outgoing person who loved being with people. She had a way of making everyone she met feel like a friend and would often talk about the new friend she had made in some random encounter.

She loved her family. She was very proud of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her cooking was legendary, and her family felt her love with every cowboy cookie, cinnamon roll, slice of apple pie, pot roast and mashed potato dinner.

Verla had great faith in her Savior, Jesus Christ, and spoke of Him often. She had a close relationship with the Holy Ghost, and talked about how He helped, protected and guided her. When someone at Fellowship Square told her she shouldn’t swim alone, she said “I’m not alone. The Holy Ghost is with me.”

Verla is survived by sons, Lonny (Lori) Townsend of Anacortes, WA, Dan (Kim) Townsend of Tucson, AZ, Scott (Nancy) Townsend of Cowiche, WA; daughters, Jana (Karl) Hendricks of Yakima, WA, and Karen (James) Jensen of West Jordan, UT; 18 grandchildren, Justin, Jenny, Geoff, Eric, Emily, Kristen, Jennifer, Danielle, Devin, Michael, Nathan, Kurtis, Kasey, Kelly, Jarin, Allison, Jason and Ashley and 43 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Peay and Pearl Colson, husband Gene Townsend, brothers Johnny Colson, Billy Colson and Marion Colson, and sisters, Marjorie Logozzo, Cleo Kuchera and Mattie Heigert.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 14, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1414 S. 72 Ave. Yakima. Viewing will be held at the church beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.keithandkeith.com for the Townsend family. Please click the link below to join the service webinar: https://zoom.us/j/94742616065.