Guyla "Louise" Townsend

Guyla Louise Cooke Townsend, 105, passed away Friday, January 25, 2019. She was born June 22, 1913 in Alberta, Louisiana, one mile south of Castor. She married U.S. Army Captain Nolan Cross Townsend on November 1, 1942 at St. George\'s Episcopal Church in New Orleans. They lived in Jackson Barracks in New Orleans and in Arlington, Virginia, during World War II. After the war, they returned to Shreveport and founded Nolan C. Townsend Furniture Co. in the late 1940\'s. In the earlier 1950\'s, they were charter members of St. Paul\'s Episcopal Church. Louise was a member of Quid Nunc Study Club, Almeta Study Club, Women\'s Department Club, Spring Lake Garden Club, Magna Charta Dames, Colonial Dames, and Daughters of the American Revolution, plus several bible study and prayer groups. She loved to pray with others and work in her yard. She was preceded in death by her husband of thirty-three years, Nolan, her parents, Elbert Guy Cooke and Ruby Wardlaw Cooke, and baby sister Elizabeth. She is survived by her son Harry Knox Townsend, daughter-in-law Barbara Townsend; granddaughter Leslie Townsend; and grandson Chancellor Townsend, all of Shreveport. Other survivors include her sister, Dorothy Jane Kennedy and her daughters Anita Underdown, Janet Thomas, and Karen Hensley, all of Phoenix, AZ. She also leaves behind her first cousins, Jean Princehouse, Bill Wardlaw and wife Francis, and Charlotte Wardlaw, and their families. Visitation will be held from 11a.m. until 1p.m. Wednesday, January 30, 2019, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Marshall St., Shreveport, LA. Service will follow 1p.m. in the chapel, and burial in Forest Park Cemetery, St. Vincent Ave. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials may be made to St. Jude\'s Children\'s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl, Memphis, TN 38105 or charity of donor\'s choice.