Obituary of Townsend F. Post

Townsend F. Post of Bloomingburg, a longtime village resident and 28-year veteran of the United States Army and Air Force, died Tuesday, November 25, 2008, at Orange Regional Medical Center's Horton campus. He was 92. The son of the late William H. Post and Mary G. Albright Post, he was born August 19, 1916 in Clifton, N.J. He is predeceased by his wife of 59 years, Barbara Callaghan Post. As a member of America's dwindling "Greatest Generation," Townsend got to see the world in one of the few ways a Depression-era kid could: He joined the Army Air Corps., the predecessor of today's Air Force. His military career would take him to far-flung places, including a pre-war Pearl Harbor and World War II's European Theater with the 9th Air Force Service Command in the countries of England, Belgium, Germany and France. Townsend was just one in a long line of men in his family to serve and protect our nation in times of crisis. His father was a Spanish-American War veteran and he was a direct descendant of Peter Van Pelt, who served his country in the Revolutionary War. His military days would serve as the basis for one of his greatest passions: storytelling. Among his favorite tales was that of watching the ill-fated Amelia Earhart take off on her first attempt at an around-the-world flight from Pearl Harbor in 1937. She didn't even get 10 feet off of the ground that time, he noted. When he wasn't talking aviation history, the "Catch-22"-esque exploits of his comrades could be counted on to provide many an animated conversation. As one of Bloomingburg's oldest residents, Townsend could also be considered the village's unofficial historian, and he loved telling family and friends about the good old days from his front porch in these later years. In addition to his time spent in the military, a young Townsend also worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps. during the Great Depression, and, after his retirement from the Air Force, at the Goshen Annex boys training school and as a Bloomingburg mailman. "They just don't make them like they used to," he would sometimes say - something that could be said about him as well. His spirit and generosity will be greatly missed among his family and friends, but it lives on in his stories. Townsend is survived by his daughter, Jane E. Connors, at home; two sons: William F. Post and his wife Mahes of Honolulu, HI, and Townsend F. Post and his wife Cornelia of Texas; his sister, Ruth Waddell of Newton, N.J.; two grandchildren: Aaron F. Connors and his wife Cathy of Climax, and Heather L. LaBruna and her husband Salvatore of Goshen; three great-grandchildren, Liam, Riley and Caitlin Connors, and a great-grandchild-in-progress; a nephew, Bill Waddell and his wife Sandy of Newton, N.J.; and two great nephews, Will Waddell and his wife Valerie and child of Ohio, and Mitchell Waddell of Newton, N.J. In addition to his wife, he is predeceased by a sister, Mildred A. Post. The family would like to thank the Mamakating Volunteer Ambulance, Mobile Life Ambulance and Orange Regional Medical Center for the excellent medical care given to Townsend. They would also like to thank their friends and neighbors, who not only helped at this difficult time, but had always taken the time to stop by the porch and say hello to "Mr. Post" when he was alive. He loved the company. Visitation will be held Friday, November 28, from 3-6 p.m. at the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home, 111 Sullivan Street, Wurtsboro. Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 29, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial, accompanied by Air Force color guard, will follow at Bloomingburg Rural Cemetery. Arrangements under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Wurtsboro. For additional information, please visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com.