Willie Townsend
Willie James Townsend Sr. “Pig” was born on October 25, 1954, to Eugene Townsend and Ruth Ammons. He died on November 28, 2017, in a local hospital.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his loving wife, Essie Mae Townsend and his grandfather Anthony Townsend, his brothers: Eugene Townsend Jr. Michael Lewis, Leon Gray, sister Jeanette Townsend-Williams.
Willie was a loving family-oriented father and grandfather.
Willie leaves to cherish his memories his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and his siblings. His sons, Toney Williams, Josh Lee Green Jr., Willie James Townsend Jr., all of Chattanooga; daughters, Alice Willis of Charleston, SC. Rosa lee (Reginald) Clack of Chattanooga, Brenda Michell (Kelvin) Pruitt of Sewanee, Ga., Kimberly Ann Green-Lockett of Chattanooga; 10 grandchildren, Ronald T. Smith, Tevarian D (Jenny) Pruitt, Brittany N Clack, Reginald A Clack Jr., Autumn M Green (David Avolos), Alexandria M Anderson (Marquae Gaddy), Marquise E Pruitt, Ny’ela T Lockett, Monique and Madison Green; 10 great-grandchildren, Dorian D, Ashton and Avery Pruitt, Lailah, Christopher and Jernhi Smith, Janari A Anderson, Cayston Green and Braiden and Adrian Avalos; siblings, John Townsend, Rosa Mary Auls, Richard Griffin, Mitchell Lewis and Ronnie Gray: Close cousin: Sylvester Ammons, Edward Ector, and Cleveland Hobdy: Sister’s and brother in law: Sharon, Eric and Jacqueline (Janice) Dragg, and Annie E Bonaparte, Close childhood friend; John Hughley and family friend James Wesley Hawthorne, Jr. and best friends Sam and Angela Jones, Brother Bryant Blackmon, James Gram and a host of church family and friends.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, Dec. 8, at noon at New Life Seventh – Day Adventist Church.
The body will lie in state after noon on Thursday and family will receive friends from 6-7 p.m. Interment will be National Cemetery. John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., 622-9995.