Posted for Harry Armistead
Robert L. Ake
6603 Catherine Street
Norfolk VA 23505
I'm doing an ABA Big Year in 2010 - it seemed like a good idea at the time.
----- Original Message -----
From: Harry Armistead
To: Bob Ake
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 9:46 AM
Subject: Townley R. Wolfe, R.I.P.
TOWNLEY R. WOLFE
Paul Sykes called a few minutes ago with the sad news that Townley
died yesterday. He was a resident of Virginia Beach, where he was deeply
involved with his church. I knew him mostly from his participation on the Cape
Charles Christmas Bird Count, which he participated in for most of its 45
years, usually accompanying Paul. He was a cheerful participant. I remember
well his ruddy face, always lit up with a smile when we would meet, usually
just once a year.
Townley would regularly send me his seasonal reports, in his
distinctive engineer’s handwriting, back when I had some editing
responsibilities. His reports were photocopies of his diaries, full of records
from around his house, at Back Bay, and at Craney Island especially. His
devoted wife passed away perhaps 7 or 8 years ago.
Once Townley accompanied me, in the late 1980s I think, on one of
the all-night May bird counts in the Blackwater N.W.R. area in Maryland. On
that night we came across 2 birders from Finland at about 2 A.M. who had just
captured a Black Rail in the Elliott Island Road marshes.
I believe Townley was a reserve Colonel, perhaps in the Marine
Corps, and that his more full name was Townley R. Wolfe, III. Today via Google
there is some information under the heading “Townley Wolfe: Veterans History
Project” indicating that he was born in Baltimore in 1921, served in World War
II from 1942-1946 in the Pacific Theater aboard the’USS Valve’, and reached the
rank of Captain.
I do not know the details concerning a memorial service or other
tribute but perhaps someone reading this can furnish them. – Harry Armistead,
Philadelphia.
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