Lera S. Townsend

Lera Shepherd Townsend, 95, of Dearborn Heights Michigan, formerly of Trenton Florida, was born April 2, 1925 and was called home on February 24, 2021. Eldest daughter and one of twelve children of George and Viola Shepherd. Beloved wife and mother of four, grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of thirteen. She was raised on a farm in Gilchrist County Florida to be a hard worker and a woman of strong Christian faith with a great love of children and service to others. As a teenager during World War II, she moved to Detroit Michigan to build airplanes for the war effort at the Cadillac plant. In her words she “had to bring her brothers home!” During this time, she was corresponding by mail with her hometown sweetheart Robert Townsend who circumnavigated the world in the U.S. Navy during the war. When the war was over, she returned to Florida and married Robert. They lived in Gainesville, Nashville Tennessee and Green Bay Wisconsin before settling near Detroit Michigan. They raised their children with love, kindness and a love of God and they spent many vacations in Florida to visit family. When their children were adults, Robert and Lera moved back to Gilchrist County to be close to family and became part of a new family at Mt. Horeb Baptist Church. Walking hand in hand into church each Sunday with over 50 years of marriage they were an inspiration to many. Robert passed away in 2002 and Lera devoted the rest of her life to her faith, family and friends. She spent her last four years living in Michigan with her son and his wife. Lera loved to quilt, sew and embroider. She cooked, cleaned and gardened and did anything she could to make life better for her family and the people in her community. She is deeply loved and will be deeply missed by all. Funeral services will be held at Mt. Horeb Baptist Church, High Springs Fla, on March 13 at 2:00 pm. Interment will take place at Townsend Cemetery following the service. Considering Covid-19 concerns, the service will be uploaded to the funeral home’s website at rickgoodingfuneralhomes.com following the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Lera’s favorite charity: St Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org), or a charity of your choice. Arrangements have been placed under the care of the Rick Gooding Funeral Home Chiefland Chapel, with locations in Cross City 352-498-5400 and Chiefland 352-493-0050. Please sign the online guest book at rickgoodingfuneralhomes.com

Lera S. Townsend

April 2, 1925 - February 24, 2021