Donald Blackburn Towles

A native of Lawrenceburg, Ky., he graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1948 and accepted a position as assistant director of the Kentucky Division of Publicity and editor of In Kentucky magazine. He promoted Kentucky’s tourism industry and publicized the growing state park system.

In 1956, he joined The Courier-Journal and Louisville Times Co. as public service manager and began a 37-year career that saw him head the promotion and public service departments and the circulation department. He was named a vice president of the company in 1974.

Professionally, he served as president of the International Newspaper Promotion Association (INPA), the Kentucky Press Association (KPA), the Louisville chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and was a frequent lecturer at the American Press Institute. He was recognized with awards for outstanding service by INPA and KPA and was national convention chairman twice for SPJ. He was the only person to twice serve as INPA president.

He was the first president of the UK Journalism Association, serving for 15 years, and established the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, to which he was inducted in 1992. He was named outstanding alumnus of the UK School of Journalism in 1976. He received the All-American Alumni Award in 1994.

As a student at UK, he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity and Alpha Phi Omega, scouting service fraternity. Later he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, national leadership society.

He served in the Army during the Korean War, first with a military intelligence unit and later as a reporter for Pacific Stars and Stripes, the military daily newspaper, in Korea, Japan and Okinawa.

An Eagle Scout, he was active in scouting affairs for many years, including service as a scoutmaster and other offices.

He was a devoted member of Beargrass Christian Church for more than 50 years and served passionately as an elder emeritus, board chairman and directed three capital campaigns raising more than $4 million. He taught Sunday School for 40 years.

An accomplished author, he wrote “The Press of Kentucky,” the revision of legal publication laws for KPA, an updated history of Beargrass Christian Church, and during retirement, 200 book reviews for The Courier-Journal.

He was active in many civic endeavors, serving as chairman and/or president of The Thomas D. Clark Foundation; Louisville Chapter, American Red Cross; Heritage Corporation of Louisville and Jefferson County; Medical Center Commission; program advisory committee of the Louisville Development Commission; and Senior Citizens East. He was recognized regionally and nationally by the American Red Cross.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Gerry. Survivors include his loving wife of 30 years, Judy; two daughters, Sally Clark of Russellville, Ky. (Joe Gran); Rebecca Brown of Louisville (Mac); four grandchildren, Sara Perry (David) and Lucy Sanders (Nick), both of Charleston, S.C.; Elizabeth and Will Brown, Louisville; and one great grandchild, John Carter Perry.

Also, three stepdaughters, Donna Parsons Frank (Jeff) and Cathy Parsons Leis (Tommy), Louisville, and Julia Parsons of Vail, Co.; four stepgrandchildren, Audrey Leis Gossom (Jeremy), Bowling Green; Marshall Leis, Louisville; Evan Frank, Santa Barbara, Calif.; Mason Frank, Louisville; and one step-great grandchild, Jaxen Gossom.

Visitation will be held at Arch L. Heady and Son Funeral Home at Westport Village from 3-7 pm, Thursday, June 30, 2011

Services will be conducted at Beargrass Christian Church, Friday, July 1, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Burial with Military Honors will follow at Cave Hill Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy to The Thomas D. Clark Foundation, 663 S. Limestone St., Lexington, KY 40508-4008, or the Perpetual Endowment Fund of Beargrass Christian Church.

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