David Townes - Belmar Elementary School - Class of 1968 - Gone But Not Forgotten.

April 10, 1953 - March 30, 2016

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that our former Belmar Elementary School graduate/classmate has passed away peacefully at Johnston-Willis Hospital, in Richmond, Virginia, with family by his side. David had just moved from San Francisco, California to Petersburg, Virginia to be closer to his aging mother, who lives in Neptune, and family. He was the second oldest of four children and friends and family will always remember David as a devoted and loving son and brother.

David attended Belmar Elementary and Asbury Park High Schools. He received his Secondary School Equivalency Diploma from The Department of Education in Montpelier, Vermont. He completed undergraduate school at The School for International Training, Brattleboro, Vermont with a degree in International Studies. Later in life, he came to CIIS to learn, work, and make countless friends along the way.

David spent his teen and early adult life in Israel; living on numerous kibbutzim, became fluent in Hebrew and was a volunteer to the Israeli Army. He lived briefly in Tel Aviv, where he met his wife, Michal Huber, just before returning to the United States. Upon his return to his native country, David joined and served in the U.S. Army for three years as a member of the Military Police stationed at Fort Monmouth. Following his stint in the armed forces, David moved to Vermont where he met his second wife, Patricia Erwin. He lived, worked and attended school in Vermont for eight years. Following his divorce from Patricia, David moved to San Francisco where he joined the California Institute of Integral Studies as a student and later became employed as a Senior Admissions Counselor. It was in San Francisco that he met and married Marci Karr.

Throughout David’s constant “free spirited” moving he retained his love of books and animals. He was the proud owner of a number of dogs, including a huge St. Bernard whom he named Thor. However, his most recent and most affectionate love was for his British Shorthair cat, Shaun.

Consistent with his beliefs and his family’s wishes, David is an organ donor through LifeNet Health, of Virginia Beach, Virginia and gifted three organs. A “Celebration of Life” ceremony was held on his 63rd birthday, April 10, at noon at the Brew Haus Brewery, 801 Main Street, Belmar. Thea Dahlberg assisted as the “Life Cycle Celebrant.” Cremation arrangements have been entrusted to W.J. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc., Petersburg, Virginia.

David is survived by his mother, Doris E. [Townes] McKethan, stepmother Mildred M. [Johnson] Townes, brother William Michael Townes and wife, Kimberly A [Lucas] Townes, older sister Dr. Judith E. [Townes] Herzberg and husband Dr. Bruce Herzberg, younger sister Susan A. Townes and husband Malcolm West, and niece Alex Townes West, nephew Peter J White and wife Britney [Seward] White, great niece Rhyanna, great nephew Ari, niece Danielle White and husband David Segal, and former wives, Michal Huber, Patricia Erwin and Marci Karr. He was preceded in death by his father, William David Townes, uncle, Charles H. Townes, M.D., aunt, Grayce M. Townes and nephew, Billy M. White.

As a cancer survivor and lover of animals, in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to any local branch of the American Cancer Society or “Livestrong” organization or a local animal protection organization.

The above information was obtained from the following link:
http://alumni.ciis.edu/pages/index.asp?id=10 

By Trent A. Davis, Sr. - Website Administrator.