Obituary for Dr. Charles 'Bud' Townsend
In Loving Memory
Dr. Charles “Bud” Townsend
November 5, 1929 - January 21, 2023
Charles Buddy Ray Townsend was born in Nocona, Texas on November 5, 1929. Raised near his grandfather’s ranch during the depression, Bud spent his childhood riding horses, working on the ranch and making mischief wherever he could find it.
The young Bud saw his first rodeo at the Fort Worth Stockyards at the tender age of 14, introducing him to a lifelong love and a 50-plus year announcing career that began on Labor Day 1946. Bud drew a bull that day so tough, his older brother would not let him ride. As “fate” would have it, the announcer didn’t show, so Bud put down his rope, picked up a microphone and has been talking ever since.
Bud met the love of his life, Mary Louise Smith while working at Olsen-Stelzer Boot Company in Henrietta, Texas in 1949. The two married and welcomed their son Bill in 1951, soon followed by twins Buddy and Mary Jane.
Bud’s academic career spanned decades, and was as formative to the shaping of his story as his rodeo announcing. Bud completed his undergraduate degree at Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, followed by a master’s degree from Baylor University in Waco, and finally a PhD in history from The University of Wisconsin at Madison.
While rodeoing in the summers across Texas and the Southwest with his growing family, Bud taught during the school year, first at Hardin Simmons University, and finally at West Texas A&M, where he taught countless students over the course of 27 years with that lively announcer voice so many loved and cherished in his classroom.
Bud’s other great love in life was the music of Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys, having written the biography “San Antonio Rose, The Life and Music of Bob Wills” which was published in 1976 and later became the recipient of the Trustees Western Heritage Wrangler Award at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Bud also received a Grammy Award in 1975 for the album notes written for the album, “Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys; For the Last Time.”
Bud was a beloved member of the Canyon Lions Club and was named the Canyon News Citizen of the Year in 2017. In March of 2022, was given the prestigious honor of being inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame for his lifelong contributions to preserving western history and demonstrating the best of the cowboy spirit.
To every person he met, whether he was announcing rodeos, teaching in the classroom, or taking a walk, he gave an endearing piece of himself, a piece that nothing else in this world can fill.
Dr. Townsend passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 21st at 4:51 pm to join his beautiful bride Mary, his son Buddy, his six siblings, his beloved parents and countless others awaiting his arrival on the other side.
He is survived by his two children, Bill and Mary Jane, their spouses, Janet Townsend, Michael Guttenplan and their son, Buddy’s wife, Cindy Aycock; his grandchildren, Jason Townsend, Erin Leaverton, Walt Townsend, Jessica Reid, Danny Townsend, Katie Guttenplan, Kevin Guttenplan, their respective spouses; and his 12 beloved great grandchildren.
Services will be held for Dr. Townsend on Thursday, January 26th at 2:00 pm at Crossroads Country Church, located at 14425 Farm to Market Rd 1541, Amarillo, TX 79118, with Bob Miller, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Dreamland Cemetery in Canyon. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, January 25th from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. at Brooks Chapel. Arrangements are by Brooks Funeral Directors.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Charles and Mary Townsend Scholarship at West Texas A&M. To donate please mail a check to the address below or click on this link to give:
https://give.wtamu.edu/o/west-texas-am-university/i/wt-general-donation-page/f/in-memory-of-dr-charles-townsend
WTAMU Foundation
WTAMU Box 766
Canyon, TX 79016-0001
806-651-2070
If you would like to bless The Townsend Family with food please visit
https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/32q3nw
Dr. Charles “Bud” Townsend
November 5, 1929 - January 21, 2023
Charles Buddy Ray Townsend was born in Nocona, Texas on November 5, 1929. Raised near his grandfather’s ranch during the depression, Bud spent his childhood riding horses, working on the ranch and making mischief wherever he could find it.
The young Bud saw his first rodeo at the Fort Worth Stockyards at the tender age of 14, introducing him to a lifelong love and a 50-plus year announcing career that began on Labor Day 1946. Bud drew a bull that day so tough, his older brother would not let him ride. As “fate” would have it, the announcer didn’t show, so Bud put down his rope, picked up a microphone and has been talking ever since.
Bud met the love of his life, Mary Louise Smith while working at Olsen-Stelzer Boot Company in Henrietta, Texas in 1949. The two married and welcomed their son Bill in 1951, soon followed by twins Buddy and Mary Jane.
Bud’s academic career spanned decades, and was as formative to the shaping of his story as his rodeo announcing. Bud completed his undergraduate degree at Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, followed by a master’s degree from Baylor University in Waco, and finally a PhD in history from The University of Wisconsin at Madison.
While rodeoing in the summers across Texas and the Southwest with his growing family, Bud taught during the school year, first at Hardin Simmons University, and finally at West Texas A&M, where he taught countless students over the course of 27 years with that lively announcer voice so many loved and cherished in his classroom.
Bud’s other great love in life was the music of Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys, having written the biography “San Antonio Rose, The Life and Music of Bob Wills” which was published in 1976 and later became the recipient of the Trustees Western Heritage Wrangler Award at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Bud also received a Grammy Award in 1975 for the album notes written for the album, “Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys; For the Last Time.”
Bud was a beloved member of the Canyon Lions Club and was named the Canyon News Citizen of the Year in 2017. In March of 2022, was given the prestigious honor of being inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame for his lifelong contributions to preserving western history and demonstrating the best of the cowboy spirit.
To every person he met, whether he was announcing rodeos, teaching in the classroom, or taking a walk, he gave an endearing piece of himself, a piece that nothing else in this world can fill.
Dr. Townsend passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 21st at 4:51 pm to join his beautiful bride Mary, his son Buddy, his six siblings, his beloved parents and countless others awaiting his arrival on the other side.
He is survived by his two children, Bill and Mary Jane, their spouses, Janet Townsend, Michael Guttenplan and their son, Buddy’s wife, Cindy Aycock; his grandchildren, Jason Townsend, Erin Leaverton, Walt Townsend, Jessica Reid, Danny Townsend, Katie Guttenplan, Kevin Guttenplan, their respective spouses; and his 12 beloved great grandchildren.
Services will be held for Dr. Townsend on Thursday, January 26th at 2:00 pm at Crossroads Country Church, located at 14425 Farm to Market Rd 1541, Amarillo, TX 79118, with Bob Miller, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Dreamland Cemetery in Canyon. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, January 25th from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. at Brooks Chapel. Arrangements are by Brooks Funeral Directors.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Charles and Mary Townsend Scholarship at West Texas A&M. To donate please mail a check to the address below or click on this link to give:
https://give.wtamu.edu/o/west-texas-am-university/i/wt-general-donation-page/f/in-memory-of-dr-charles-townsend
WTAMU Foundation
WTAMU Box 766
Canyon, TX 79016-0001
806-651-2070
If you would like to bless The Townsend Family with food please visit
https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/32q3nw