Long-time Phillips County resident, Richard Arden Townley, died suddenly at the Phillips County Retirement Center in Phillipsburg, KS on Sunday, July 7, 2019 at the age of 87 years.

He was born September 18, 1931 to Arthur Raymond Townley and Neva Pearl (Hays) Townley in Glade, KS.  Richard grew up on a farm north of Glade and graduated from Phillipsburg High School in 1949.  He was a lifetime member of the Glade United Methodist Church until its closing in 2019.

He was united in marriage to Donna Jean Miller on August 18, 1951.  This union was blessed with a daughter, Linda Jean, born September 9, 1953 in Wichita, KS and a son, Rodney Arden, born August 6, 1959 in Phillipsburg, KS.

In February, 1951, Richard enlisted in the United States Air Force and served one year in Korea.  Upon returning to the states he was stationed in Wichita, KS.  He received an honorable discharge from the military in November, 1953, and was then employed as a crane operator for Boeing Aircraft until the family moved to Phillipsburg.

Richard worked at the Coop Refinery in Phillipsburg as a Crude Unit Operator until the refinery's closing in 1982.  During this time he & Donna Jean purchased a farm north of Glade and added a hog operation.  He was a good steward of the land, taking care not to over-till the soil; he always wanted to leave the land better than he found it.

He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1360 in Phillipsburg, KS and a member of American Legion Post 0166 of Kensington, KS.

It was no secret that Richard loved to dance, especially waltzes and polkas. Even at the retirement center, he wanted to teach the girls to dance!  On a vacation cruise up the Mississippi River, the paddle-wheeler hosted a talent contest and he & Donna Jean won 1 ^st place doing the Charleston.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents; his sister & brother-in-law, Hope & Harvey Janssen; and a nephew, Kevin Janssen.

Survivors include his wife, Donna Jean, of the home in Phillipsburg; daughter, Linda Jean Schmidt & husband, David, of Albuquerque, NM; son, Rodney Arden Townley & wife, Phyllis, of St. Paul, MN; a brother, Bernard Townley & wife, Myrna, of Glade, KS; a sister-in-law, Duana Peterson & husband, Vaughn, of Mission, TX; along with several nieces & nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 12, 2019 in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with Pastor James Peterson officiating.  Burial with military honors conducted by the United States Air Force will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg.

Mr. Townley will lie in state from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Wednesday and noon until 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Fort Bissell Museum.