Gail Eldon Townsend

Townsend

Gail Eldon Townsend, 89, of Williamstown, WV, passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 15, 2025. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend, Gail will be remembered for his ornery sense of humor, ready smile, and his unwavering willingness to help anyone in need.

Born on April 10, 1936, in Waterford, Ohio, Gail was the son of Harley and Ella (Deavers) Townsend.

From an early age, he developed a strong work ethic and love of life that would define him throughout his years. The youngest of six children — Raymond, Royce, Iven, Garnold, and his only sister Marilyn (Van) Morris — Gail’s upbringing in a small town fostered deep family ties and lasting values. He spent his childhood exploring Wolf Creek behind his home, running with friends, doing chores, and taking on odd jobs to earn spending money.

A lifelong man of faith, Gail was raised in the Church of the Nazarene in Waterford and sang gospel in The Lee Everleth Trio. Though his belief was steady, it didn’t stop him from indulging in his fair share of youthful (and grown-up) shenanigans, which he recalled fondly.

Gail proudly served in the U.S. Air Force, with assignments taking him across the country from Maine to Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming. While stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, CO, he met his first wife, Marcia (Woodward). He is survived by their three children Cheryl (Charles) Vigneron, Timothy Townsend, and Christina (Christopher) Brumley. He was also blessed with grandchildren — Morganna (Lott), Kristin and Katie Vigneron, and Lauren and Elise Brumley — as well as great-grandchildren, all of whom he was so proud.

After his military service, Gail returned to Waterford and worked in a wide range of industries — trucking, contracting, and the oil and gas field, among others. A true jack-of-all-trades, he could build, fix, or repair nearly anything, which led to many hobbies, including motorcycles and piloting planes, to name a few. He had a particular passion for working on and showing his hit-and-miss engines (and making flapjacks).

In 1989, Gail found love again and married Effie (Williams Binegar). For the next 36 years, they were inseparable, building a blended family that they lovingly called their “bonus children.” Surviving him are stepchildren Braden (Pam) Binegar, Christina (John) Sebroski, and Aaron (Sonja) Binegar; step-grandchildren Jessica (Bill Mosher) Mason, Keith (Brooke) Binegar, Chad (Abbie) Sebroski, Megan (Juan) Nava-Sebroski, and Erica Simms, as well as many great- and great-great-grandchildren. The two built deep bonds with extended relatives and friends, both in the Ohio-West Virginia and central-Florida areas.

Gail will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. A celebration of his life will be held on Wednesday, November 26, at Boaz Baptist Church, in Williamstown, WV. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Gail’s name to support his son’s, Tim Townsend’s, service dog at the following GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/from-surviving-to-thrivingwith-a-service-dogs-help.