It is with incredible sadness our family announces the passing of Randy William Townsend. Surrounded by family, Randy passed away peacefully on the morning of Friday, February 21, 2020 at the age of 76 years.
Randy was a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Judy; his two sons Burley (Ginette), Scott (Julie) and his daughter Terri (Serge); his grandchildren Tara, Tyler, Mitchell, Marshall and Darius; his great-grandchildren Charles and Jeremiah; and his brother-in-law Roger (Donna). Randy was predeceased by his parents Doris and Burley; his mother-in-law Florence and father-in-law George; his brother-in-law Gordon and sister-in-law Sharon.
Randy was loved by all his friends and family and he set a standard that all fathers and grandfathers should emulate.
Randy was born in Winnipeg., MB on May 31, 1943. Randy’s father Burley Townsend and mother Doris moved to Dauphin MB., shortly after Burley returned home from WWII. Randy lived in Dauphin until the age of 10, when the family moved to Regina where his dad worked for the Regina airport as the maintenance manager of the runways. Randy grew up playing many sports including hockey, baseball and curling. Randy always had a job either delivering 150 newspapers a day to the war time homes near the Regina airport or helping his dad repair cars in the back-yard garage.
Randy moved from Regina to Coronach SK., at the age of 19 to start his apprenticeship as an automotive mechanic with family relatives the Hainstock’s. It is in Coronach that he met Judy Nelson and in December 1963 they were married. Their boys Burley and Scott were born in 1964 and 1967 and Terri followed in 1969. Randy and Judy moved to Simmie SK., in 1968 where Randy took the manager’s position at the small co-op garage and in 1970, they moved to Eastend SK., where Randy received a promotion to a larger Co-op garage and gas station. Randy loved to fish and hunt and the area around Eastend gave him plenty of opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
In 1973 Randy attended training at Federated Co-op in Saskatoon and received accreditation for General Manager through the Co-op system. The family moved to Arcola, Sk. in 1973 where they spent 3 years. In Arcola Randy was an avid curler and entered several bonspiels with his dad Burley, who had challenged for the Saskatchewan curling title numerous times. In 1976 the family took a 1-month holiday to the Yukon where Randy hunted for big horn sheep with his longtime friend Norm Knowles.
In 1977 the family moved back to Eastend where Randy and Judy were active in the community and the kids continued to grow and play sports. Randy and Judy decided to buy an old house and they knocked it down and built a brand-new home. It was a family affair and to make sure the kids stayed focused they were paid 25 cents an hour but wouldn’t receive any money until after the house was completed.
1979 brought big changes when Randy accepted a promotion to the Red River Co-op in Winnipeg, and it was off to the big lights for the Townsend’s. After 3 years in Winnipeg and a looming recession Randy and Judy made the tough decision to leave the Co-op after 21 years of service and buy their own business which was a 24-hour restaurant and truck stop in Northern Ontario. Though the truck stop business demanded continuous work Randy managed to get in plenty of fishing and even earned his private pilot’s license. Randy bought a float plane and that allowed him to fish even more. Randy owned 3 planes over the years and was an excellent pilot.
1989 saw Randy and Judy move to Calgary and started a car rental company. Scott joined them and they spent 9 years building the company together. What started out as just 1 rental office and 39 cars grew into 6 offices in Calgary, Banff and Red Deer and almost 600 cars.
In 1999 Randy and Judy sold the rental company and started their retirement. The next few years that followed Randy and Judy helped their parents, traveled south a couple times and eventually purchased a summer home on a lake at Fort Qu’Appelle in central Saskatchewan… MORE Fishing!!! Along with moving into the welcoming condo community of Village on the Green in Calgary.
Randy also enjoyed NASCAR racing and he and Judy even went to a few races over the years. He always looked forward to the next fly-in moose hunt in Northern Ontario, and Randy even scratched one more item off his “bucket list” when on November 2rd this last year he shot his very first Elk… a beautiful 8x7 pointer which scored over 353 inches.
Though Randy has fought cancer 4 different times he found a way to knock it back and keep on going. He could always be found in his garage building something or making repairs to the house. He was a continual source of information to his friends and neighbors and would always take an opportunity to (Take charge of a situation) Oh I mean Help… whenever he could.
Randy and Judy’s life has taken them many places, and the very first thing they always did was make friends with the neighbors and start to develop a community. Their personalities are so genuine and magnetic that they always attracted the best friends.
Randy will be dearly missed by his lifelong partner Judy, his kids and grandkids and of course each and every one of us.
Good bye Randy, Rest in Peace.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Randy’s memory to the Foothills Hospice Society at 322001-32nd Street East in Okotoks, Alberta T1S 1A5
Relatives and friends are invited to a Celebration of Randy’s Life on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Foster’s Garden Chapel Funeral Home located at 3220-4th Street N.W. in Calgary, Alberta.
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