Francis & Irene Harrison Townsend

HARRISON WULF TOWNSEND

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/10/2010 at 23:46:06

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Francis and Irene L Harrison Townsend
By Loraine E Washburn

Irene Leona Harrison was born 31 March 1926, at the ‘Old Maternity Hospital’ in Sioux City, Iowa, while her parents, William and Emma (Wulf) Harrison were residents of Section 15, Banner Township, Woodbury County. During her childhood years she spent a short time in Minnesota and the rest in Banner Township, though moving several times. She attended three different Banner Township schools, graduating from the eighth grade at Banner No. 1. She was Valedictorian of Lawton High School in 1943. She attended one year of college at Western Union College at LeMars. She then was an employee of Martin’s Department Store in Sioux City, doing office work, until her marriage on 12 June 1951 to Francis Alva Townsend at Rapid City, South Dakota.

Frank was born in 1922 at Newton, Iowa. He was a career Air Force person who served in North Africa and England during World War II. He also served in the Berlin Air Lift. He retired from the service in 1963, and was employed at a bank until the time of his death, May 2, 1978, at March AFB, California.

During the years of their marriage, the couple lived in the following states: South Dakota, Illinois, Florida, Kansas, Texas and California. They purchased a home in Riverside, California, in 1956, where they resided since, except for three years in Kansas. Irene and Frank had no children.

Irene worked at banks in the various states where they resided, and is now retired, having attained the position of Department Head. She sold her home in Riverside in August 1983 and in October 1983 moved back to the Sioux City area.

Irene was confirmed in Bethel Lutheran Church of Lawton, Iowa, in 1940, and is of the Lutheran faith. Her interests include genealogy and collecting stamps, as well as owning and extensive library.

Frank is buried in Banner Township Cemetery, near Lawton, Iowa.