Anthony Blanchard Townsend, 89, of Newcastle, died peacefully on Aug. 6 in Damariscotta. Born on June 6, 1920 in Plattsburg, N.Y., he was the son of Winfield Alonzo Townsend and Mary Goldsborough Ross Townsend of Essex, N.Y.
His first years were spent at Hickory Hill, Essex, N.Y. In 1927, the family moved to Garden City, N.Y., where his father was first principal of the high school and later Superintendent of Schools. Tony lived each summer in Essex and attended Pine Island Camp, Belgrade.
Tony graduated from the Lenox School, Lenox, Mass. in 1939. He was captain of the baseball team and won an award for Best Sportsman. After school he took business courses and worked for Union Carbide until he joined the U.S. Coast Guard from April 1942 to February 1946.
At first he was stationed in Atlantic City and Hawaii. He then served aboard Coast Guard U.S. Machias, a PF-53 frigate in the Western Pacific, in operations on New Guinea, the Netherlands East Indies, Leyte, and Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines. A Seaman First Class, he was entitled to wear American Area Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign medal with two bronze stars, the Victory Medal, and the Philippine Liberation medal with one star.
He married Anne Larsen of Glen Head, N.Y. and worked for the Long Island Lighting Company until retirement. He and Anne then settled in New Harbor until he moved into The Lincoln Home, Newcastle, after her death. He was an outdoorsman, an avid birdwatcher, volunteered as a docent at Pemaquid Lighthouse, and enjoyed playing bridge. He was also a member of the Bristol Lions Club.
He is survived by his two children, Lorraine Townsend Faherty and husband Dennis of Damariscotta and Robert Townsend and wife Beth of Ruckersville, Va.; two grandsons, Anthony and Matthew; as well as two sisters, Susannah Mallett of Ventura, Cal., and Mary Tilghman (Tilly) Close and husband Richard of Wayland, Mass.
Celebration of Tony’s life 3 p.m., Wed., Aug. 12 at The Lincoln Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Lincoln Home, 22 River Rd., Newcastle, ME 04553.
