COMMUNITY JOURNALISM: Remembering Charley Townsley

Editor's note: George Kuhter is the head high school and middle cross country and head boys' track and field coach at South Tama County High School. He has been teaching at the middle school in Toledo and coaching in the community for the past 20 years.

By George Kuhter, community contributor

Every community in Iowa has a Charley Townsley, a person who came to the area to work and stayed. A person who put everything they had into everything they did and left the community better than they found it just by being there.

If you did not leave a conversation feeling better about life after talking to Charley Townsley, something was wrong.

Our Charley Townsley died on March 1. Charley will be missed, but we always will have him in our hearts.

Charley was born and raised in Oskaloosa, went to college in Cedar Falls, came to the Tama-Toledo area and will never leave the thoughts of hundreds of people he touched.

Originally Charley came to work for Fareway and continued in the grocery business until he took a job at an office supply store. Charley started writing local sports stories in 2001 and did so until his battle with cancer forced him to retire in 2011.

Charley did not write about the school's activities, he wrote stories in the way the old newspaper guys wrote stories. He wrote about the people, the kids who made the story.

There were no minor sports or events, nothing too big or too daunting for Charley to tackle. Even cancer got all Charley could dish out.

He loved to put student-athletes first.

In his last article, his farewell, he wrote “If you have time, stop by for some cake and give me the chance to say thank you to you for all you who have been so supportive of me through the years.”

To Charley, it was always about someone else. Most importantly, it was the kids.

We got a chance to thank Charley three times in the past few years.

First, someone had the bright idea of a “Charley Townsley” night during the 2009-10 basketball season. The next surprise for Charley was at the girls' state basketball tournament last March when he was awarded the IGHSAU sportsmanship award. The award, from the team's nomination, was given as a thank you for all he has done for our community.

“That was really a special moment for me,” he wrote in his column.

Finally, this past winter as the girls' basketball team took their place on the court, they honored Charley again. The girls came out of the locker room and gave Charley a high-five. In the final few games of the season, when he was not able to be there, it was his wife, Anita, who got the high-fives.

We will always remember Charley Townsley for his thoughts and actions - and especially his words. Some of the last words he wrote were especially philosophical, sage advice for all of the kids (and some adults):

“As you decide on what you want your life's work to be, do not overlook the importance of enjoying your job. Don't let money necessarily dominate everything you decide. Find something you are passionate about and you will be rich already.”

Charley Townsley left this world the richest man in town.