Laura Clare (Johnson) Townes, 93, wife of the late George Franklin Townes, passed away on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. Born in New Haven, CT, she was the daughter of the late Charles Harvey Johnson and Faustina Beede Johnson. She was a 1946 graduate, summa cum laude, of Swarthmore College in PA, where she received a BA in English. She became a teaching assistant at Slater Marietta Elementary in 1977 and later worked as an administrative assistant at Slater Marietta Human Services for many years.
She was of the Quaker faith and a founding member of the Quaker meeting in Greenville, SC; past president of the League of Women Voters; one of the original members of the Travelers Rest Al-Anon; and a volunteer for the Travelers Rest Historical Society. She also attended Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and was active in the WMS. Her commitments were motivated by a strong desire to serve the community. Among the many charities she contributed to were the Nature Conservancy, the Humane Society, and ETV.
Laura’s wide range of interests included reading, gardening, astronomy, bird-watching, politics, crossword puzzles, and natural history. She was a kind and compassionate woman and a wonderful mother, grandmother, neighbor, and friend. Laura is survived by her daughters: Rachel Townes of Statham, GA; Clare Townes of Austin, TX; and Sarah (Peter) Godfrey of Littlehampton, England; grandchildren: Lillian and Elliot Godfrey; and a sister: Sarah (Stan) Benjamin of Southport, NC.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2020, from 2:00 until 3:30 p.m. at The Howze Mortuary. A memorial service will be held at a later date. The family is at the home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the League of Women Voters, Upstate Forever, The Greenville Humane Society, and Bat Conservation International.