2010-01-14
Cole Younger Townley Jr.
1928-2009
Cole Younger Townley Jr., 81, of Twin Falls, Idaho, died Friday, Dec. 11, peacefully at his home.
In a genealogy book, Cole recently wrote the following “about the author,” which his family found to be a great self-description.
“I was born Oct. 6, 1928, in Polk County, Texas, and then moved with my family to San Jacinto County, Texas, where I entered the first grade of a one-room schoolhouse at the age of four, then went on to Walker County, Texas, during World War II, where I graduated from Huntsville High School in 1944. I entered Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas, for a year before going to Texas A&M University.
“Then on Feb. 5, 1949, I married the love of my life, Billie Jeanne Mallery, and we have been together ever since. Along the way, we grew up with our four wonderful kids and had an idyllic life in a small town. I took a turn at the livestock business, spent 13 years in the Texas National Guard, including one year of active duty, and traveled for the AO Smith Corporation as a livestock consultant, which took me all over the world. This landed me in Twin Falls, Idaho, in 1979, and I’ve been here ever since.
“I taught for awhile at the College of Southern Idaho and then, for more than eight years, I had what I thought at the time was my dream job as manager of the premier cow ranch in Idaho, with more than 640 square miles to roam around on, 5,000 cows to baby-sit and what I thought at the time was the greatest scenery on earth.
“But, I guess the good Lord saves the best for last. The Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho, recruited me as a GPS technician and gave me 2 million truly spectacular acres, which is half again larger than the state of Delaware, as my office. My lovely bride of 60 years went with me on almost all of my trips to gather GPS data in the forest, and it would take another lifetime to see it all.”
Cole loved the outdoors, especially camping, hunting and spending time in the mountains. He never met a stranger and was anxious to see the Boise State Broncos play in the Fiesta Bowl this year.
He also loved working on genealogy and had recently finished a book on the Townley family. He was a former member of the Masonic Bodies and a former member of Elks Lodge No. 1981.
Cole loved his family, focusing on being the best possible father and grandfather he could be.
He is survived by daughters, Cheryl Bell and her husband, Tom, of Houston; Jeanne Foy and her husband, Kenneth, of Hempstead; and Lacey Cline and her husband, Erik, of Boise, Idaho; son Byron Townley of Bandera; sister Ginny Hackney of Friendswood; brothers-in-law, Charles Mallery andhis wife, Ann, of The Woodlands, Texas; and Dr. James Mallery and his wife, Jane, of Huntsville, Texas.
Cole is also survived by grandchildren, Christopher Koehler of Wiley; Matthew Koehler and his wife, Ashley, and Courtney Cline, all of Boise; and Ashley Heinen-Townley of Medina, as well as great-grandchildren, Abigail and Mallery Koehler of Wiley, and extended family and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Billie Jeanne Mallery Townley; parents, Cole Younger Townley and Verna Viola Watson Townley; and brother-in-law, Clint Hackney.
Cremation is under the direction of Reynolds Funeral Chapel in Twin Falls. No service has been scheduled at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be sent to the American Heart Association in Cole’s name.
