Claire Mae Townsend

Claire Mae Townsend, 93, died Sunday, February 12, 2006 at her home in Abilene, Texas. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, with the Dr. Phil Christopher officiating. Burial will be on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. in Rose Hill Cemetery in Ardmore, Oklahoma. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, February 13, 2006 at their home, 1427 Tanglewood, Abilene, Texas. Claire Mae was born the second daughter of Willie Evelyn (Billie) Badger Ball and Dr. Carlos Brittany Ball on October 22, 1912 at her grandparent's farm in Wise County, Texas, just north of Decatur. She moved to Frederick, Oklahoma with her parents in 1913, shortly after the land was opened to settlers, and lived there until moving to Abilene, Texas in 1999. After graduating from Frederick High School in 1930, she attended the Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha, Oklahoma. In 1938 she married E. Mac Townsend, a local attorney. Following E. Mac's service in the Counter Intelligence Core of the U.S. Army in World War II, E. Mac joined the FBI which took them to Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Dallas. She and E. Mac then settled in Frederick, Oklahoma where they raised their two daughters, Janet Townsend Crain and Jean Townsend Goodnight. Playing golf and painting were two of Claire Mae's favorite activities and she was able to participate in both until she was in her 90's. As a life-long artist, she enjoyed china painting and delighted in giving gifts of painted china to those she loved. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Frederick, Oklahoma where she sang in the church choir for more than 60 years. Claire Mae was a 70 year member of P.E.O. Her husband, E. Mac Townsend and her parents preceded her in death. Mrs. Townsend is survived by daughters; Janet and husband Dr. Terry Crain of Norman, Oklahoma, and Jean and husband Dr. Gary Goodnight of Abilene, Texas; and granddaughters, Ashley and Lauren Goodnight; and a sister Rita Curtis of Gainesville, Texas, as well as many loving nieces and nephews, and her faithful poodle, Abby. Memorials may be made to Hendrick Hospice Care, P.O. Box 1922, Abilene, Texas 79604-9938