SOUTHWEST HARBOR Gladys Hawkswood Townsend, 98, died Sept. 4, 2004, at her residence. She was born June 4, 1906, in London, England, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Barton. She came to America at the age of 18 and her mother died when she was staying in Pelham, N.Y., with her aunt and uncle, Emelia (Barton) and Albert Betram Hawkswood. Gladys was adopted by them and continued to live with them until they died. Shortly after that, she married Harold Townsend. They first moved to Owls Head and then for the next 54 years, they settled in their house on Ledge Road, Southwest Harbor. They were both active members of St. John’s Episcopal Church, where she was the treasurer and then at the High Road Congregational Church, where Harold was the mainstay of the choir. Gladys was well known in the community for her many thousands of cookies; over a hundred fruit cakes and butter crunch she made every Christmas and which she generously gave to many in the community. Gladys and Harold were good friends of Wendell Gilley and were recipients of many of his birds, these they generously gave to the Gilley Museum. After Harold’s death in 1989, Gladys continued to live in her house, along with her dog. Gladys had no immediate relatives in this country but is survived by several cousins in England and she will be missed by her many close friends in this country. Services of remembrance will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004, at Jordan-Fernald Funeral Home, 1139 Main St., Mt. Desert, with the Rev. Joseph Palmer officiating. Interment will be at The Garden of Remembrance, Christ Church at Pelham, Pelham, N.Y. Those who desire may make contributions in Gladys’s memory to the Southwest Harbor Medical Center Clinic Committee, P.O. Box 786, Southwest Harbor or to the Wendell Gilley Museum, P.O. Box 254, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679.
GLADYS H. TOWNSEND
