John Townsend

Obituary of John Marshall Townsend

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Dr. John Marshall Townsend, PhD, passed away peacefully on January 22, 2025, at 83 years old. John was born on September 1, 1941, in Amarillo, Texas, as the youngest child of Tarlton and Virgie (McAlister) Townsend. He spent his childhood in Sanger, California, close to Sequoia National Park, which nurtured his lifelong love of nature and the giant redwoods.

The son of educators, John considered teaching “a spiritual thing.” For more than 50 years, he was an anthropology professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. His teaching evaluations were long among the highest in the department. John’s research focused on mate selection and mental illness—areas he would sometimes joke went well together. His academic legacy includes more than 30 publications, including two books published by Oxford University Press and University of Chicago Press, editorial roles at academic journals, an adjunct lecturer position at SUNY Upstate Medical University, membership with the Consortium for Culture and Medicine, and national media interviews. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and his PhD from UC Santa Barbara.

In his free time, John was an incredible home chef who enjoyed cooking delicious meals and entertaining. He also inherited his mother’s love of gardening and spent countless hours tending the flowers at his home in the Strathmore neighborhood, where he lived for 37 years. He introduced his children to travel, music, classic movies, literature, art, scuba diving, exercise, languages, and science—gifts for which they are forever grateful.

In his 83 years, John traveled widely and witnessed history. While conducting field research, he lived in West Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He was fluent in German and called his children “mein leibchen” (my darlings). He was in Prague in 1968 when the Warsaw Pact tanks invaded, and the city and its people continued to hold a special place in his heart.

John is survived by his three children, “the Townsend girls”: Virgie Townsend (Ryan Maness), Lula Townsend, and Rebecca Townsend of Syracuse, as well as two grandchildren, two granddogs, his brother Dr. James Townsend of Bloomington, Indiana, several nieces and nephews, and his best friend George Moreau.

He was predeceased by his parents Tarlton B. and Virgie M. Townsend, his sister Marilyn (Paul) March, and his beautiful nieces, Pamela Townsend, Dr. Tarlise Townsend, and Sasha Townsend.

His family will hold a private celebration of life. They express their deep gratitude to the staff at the Nottingham Residential Health Care Facility for their outstanding care of John in his final months.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate if you would consider a donation to a cause close to John’s heart, such as Running Strong for American Indian Youth, the Loretto Foundation, or the Fund for Syracuse.

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John Townsend

In Loving Memory

John Townsend

1941 - 2025

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