John A. Townsend
John A. Townsend, 83, formerly of Meadow Lands, passed away Friday, October 15, 2021 in Arizona after a short illness.
Born in Tulsa, Okla., he grew up in Williamstown, W.Va. and graduated from Marietta Ohio High School in 1956. He went onto graduate from the College of Wooster in 1960 and was president of his senior class. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University and started law school at the University of Virginia. However, because of his love of training harness horses, he came to Washington and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Law School in 1965.
Townsend practiced law in Washington with the firm McIlvaine, Allison & Townsend. He was a Washington County Assistant District Attorney under Harold Fergus before becoming President & General Manager of The Meadows racetrack. He retired from The Meadows to focus on breeding standardbred horses at Rising Wind Farm in Meadow Lands and Bancroft Farm in Avella. John bred or campaigned several outstanding harness horses including Esquire Spur, Roydon Lad, Angela Ty, Land Fire, and Stubby B.
Townsend was a voracious reader and loved to share books with acquaintances.
He actively supported Meadowcroft Village which was founded by his uncles, Hall of Fame Horseman Delvin Miller of Meadow Lands and Albert Miller of Avella and the EB White Historical Society in Avella. He was a lifelong Democrat and active in Robert Kennedy’s and Barack Obama’s campaigns presidential campaigns, as well as his son Bill’s 1992 Republican campaign for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania’s 20th District.
John was formerly married to former Miss America Jacquelyn Mayer with whom they have two children, Bill Townsend (Katrina) of Nevada, and Kelly Townsend Cook (Kenneth) of Missouri, and five grandchildren, Colton and Pierce Townsend and Daryn, Alayna and Sam Rostic. He is survived by a brother, Alden Townsend (Ann) of Maryland and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his brother Tim (Janice) and parents Albert and Margaret Townsend. A memorial service is planned for Spring 2022.