Samuel G. Townsend (77) of Danforth

Samuel G. Townsend, 77, of Danforth died Sunday evening, September 22, 2019, at his home, surrounded by his family.

A memorial service will be held at Baier Funeral Home in Watseka on Saturday, September 28, from 5 to 7pm.

He was born in Olney on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1942, the son of Sam and Irene Townsend. He loved being part of a large family and remained close to his siblings his entire life. He stayed a farm boy throughout his life. He was an avid hunter and has a trophy whitetail buck listed in the Pope and Young record book. He traveled to hunt throughout the United States, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina with his wife, son, grandsons and friends. He was involved in the Disabled Veterans hunting program and built a handicapped accessible deer stand on his property to allow a veteran to deer hunt each year. He was also an accomplished trap and skeet shooter, was a member of X-Line Gun Club for many years and won numerous awards throughout his life. He loved sharing the sport with friends and family, and getting his children and grandsons involved in the sport. Two of his grandsons were on a Junior Trap League and he accompanied them to shoot at the Grand American Trap Shoot at the national level.

Sam and his wife, Robin, owned a farm in Iroquois County and were avid conservationists. They were awarded the Carl Lizzio Memorial in 2014 from the Iroquois County Soil and Water Conservation District for their efforts to preserve and create wildlife habitats. They created and maintained two ponds and planted thousands of trees. He enjoyed watching the deer, foxes, birds and other wildlife that flourished on their land.

Sam was a skilled tool and dye maker, and worked as a mechanical engineer for Armour Pharmaceuticals for most of his life. His gift for being able to fix just about anything was well-known. In his community, friends and neighbors would always be welcomed with a smile when they came to ask for his assistance with any problem they might have.

Survivors include his wife of nearly 30 years, Robin H. Townsend; daughters, Sheila (Kevin) Bernard of Clifton, Shawna (Bart) Johnson of Danforth; son, Sam S. (Monique) Townsend of Mesa, Arizona; stepsons, Dakin Shearer of Peoria, Cameron Shearer of Morton; stepdaughter, Sarah (Troy) Buschborn of Mackinaw; sister, Sylvia (Tony) Dust; brothers, Walt (Jan) Townsend, Tom (Janet) Townsend; grandchildren, Nick (Heather) Bernard, Nolan (Heidi) Bernard, Nathan (Stephanie) Bernard, Neil (Kristina) Bernard, Haley Schneider, Oliver Schneider, Kody Shearer; 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Ron (Lenora) Townsend; sisters, Rosalie (Gene) Warner, Lola Arnold; and grandsons, Alexander Schneider and Trevor Schneider.

Sam was a tremendous man, beloved by many and will be greatly missed. It's been said that the greatest legacy anyone can leave behind is to have positively impacted the lives of others. There are many who may have lived longer, but few have lived life better than Sam.