Dear Lion,
It is with great sadness that I am writing you today. We have experienced an incredible loss to our Lion family. On December 17, International First Vice President Judge Haynes H. Townsend passed away. We are heartbroken by this tragic loss to our Lion family, to the Townsend family and his loving wife, Donna.
Judge Townsend was a capable man, a humble man, a man who believed in the power of kindness to help and to heal. He was a judge who presided over his courtroom with integrity and heart, knowing that lives and destinies hung in the balance. He was a leader who believed that big ideas should drive us but that compassion should guide us. And above all, he was a Lion.
For 40 years, Judge Townsend served. He was an active member of the Dalton Noon Lions Club in his home of Dalton, Georgia, USA. He believed that acts of kindness, both big and small, could change lives. And that’s just what he did as a Lion.
It is difficult to lose an international leader of such importance. But it is even harder to lose a man of such character. We will always cherish the time we had with Judge Townsend, and we will continue to move forward, working to bring his vision for Lions, and a world of kindness, to life.
Regards,
Dr. Jung-Yul Choi
International President
Los Angeles Envision Lions Club 