Charles Loyd Townsend

© Cheyenne Star

Submitted by: Wanda Purcell

Charles Loyd Townsend came into this world on March the 3rd, 1930 in Hammon, Oklahoma, at 6:00 a.m. Also on that day, a few miles away, Lucille Cooprider was born at 4:30 a.m. They were destined to fall in love and become best friends as well as husband and wife on October 9, 1948.

Uncle Sam came calling in February of 1952 and Charles became one of the few and the proud, serving on active duty until the Fall of 1954.

Charles' love was his family, his church, old glory and baseball. Oh yes, and of course hunting and fishing.

Charles gave his heart to the Lord as a young man and served Him faithfully all of his days.

Charles and family were charter members of a brand new church that had its first service in January of 1965. The church would later be named Clariemont Faith Center. He served as a Deacon and was always a faithful worker.

His work with automobiles brought him in contact with people from all walks of life. Charles took great pride in helping people any way he could. He was at home with the very rich or the very poor and everybody in between.

Charles was a modern day Will Rogers, both in his humor, wisdom and his genuine love for people.

In the screenplay, "Field of Dreams" people from the past came together to play the game they loved, made possible by one man who loved baseball. So it was with Charles who's job as part of the Padres ground crew was to prepare the pitchers mound.

As I remember watching Charles so carefully prepare the mound for the pitchers each evening. It wasn't hard to imagine someone preparing the mound for him. I know that if a scout had seen Charles in his prime, we would also be remembering him as a great professional player as well.

Should there be baseball in Heaven {and why not?}, I know they'll be happy with the pitcher they recently acquired.

We here at Clairmont Faith Center miss Charles and will forever miss him until the trumpet sounds. And at the sounding trumpet we too shall rise and so shall we ever be with the Lord and with Charles.

Charles Loyd will be remembered as the son of Henry and Edna Townsend.

He was a 1948 graduate of the Cheyenne High School.