Obituary of Johnnie P. Townsend

Johnnie Pearl Nicholson Townsend, age 73 of Iowa City died Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at the Briarwood Health Care Center in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 11 am Saturday, March 18, 2017, at the Church of the Nazarene in Iowa City where there will be a time of visitation from 9am until services. Burial will be at the Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City following the services. To share a thought, memory, condolence please go to the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City is caring for Johnnie’s family and her services. Ms. Townsend was born March 8, 1943 in Tennessee. Soon after her birth, her parents brought her to East St. Louis, Illinois where she lived until moving to Iowa City, Iowa in 1962. Ms. Townsend was an excellent student and matriculated through the East St. Louis public school system until she graduated in 1961 with honors. She went to Southern Illinois University and was known to be extremely intelligent and beautiful. She raised her two children, Debbie and Orville Jr. in Iowa City, Iowa with love and compassion. Ms. Townsend also worked at the University of Iowa, Owens Brush and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in the registration department all in Iowa City for several years. Ms. Townsend leaves her daughter, Debbie Townsend of Belleville, Illinois; Orville Townsend, Jr. and wife, Anitra of Omaha, Nebraska; four grandchildren: Alexys, Jocelyn Pearl, Ostin and Zaria; Sisters Sharon Nicholson of Clarendon Hills, Illinois; Roderick Nicholson(Jo Ann) of Terry, Mississippi; Priscilla Nicholson of Austin, Texas; Brenda Nicholson Dube (Mathania) of Lewisville, Texas; Eric Nicholson (East St. Louis, Illinois) Several aunts and uncles throughout Illinois; and many beloved cousins. She is also affectionately known as “Grandma Johnnie” by many in her Iowa City Family.