Obituary of Grethel Lee Townsend

Grethel Lee Pinder Townsend departed this life in Gilpin Hall, Wilmington, DE on Sunday, June 21, 2009. She was born on November 10, 1921 in East New Market, Maryland. She was the daughter of the late Albert James Pinder and Grace Jane Jackson Pinder. During her early years, Grethel was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Bridgeville, DE before moving to Philadelphia. Grethel was married to the late Artice Townsend (Tee), who passed away in May, 1980. Grethel Townsend moved to the Southern part of Delaware at an early age. She attended Trinity and Bridgeville School. She graduated from Delaware State College, now Delaware State University with a BA degree in Education. She then moved to Philadelphia, where she taught middle school as a Home Economics teacher. Grethel loved cooking and sewing. Grethel retired from John B. Stetson Junior High, in June 1989. Grethel later moved to Blountstown, FL for a short period after retirement. When her health began to fail, she moved to Wilmington, DE to be with her sisters, Virgie M. Pinder and Millicent Cannon. She was one of the first residents in Gilpin Hall, Wilmington, DE which was her home for more than a decade. Grethel had no children. She was preceded in death by eight brothers, Elwood Pinder of Bridgeville, DE, Hansel Pinder of Houston, DE, Douglas Pinder of Greenwood, DE, Albert Pinder, of Clearlake, CA; Earnest Pinder, Elzie Pinder, and James Pinder; three sisters, Virgie Pinder, Millicent Cannon, both of Wilmington, and Ella Jones of Cambridge, MD; Grethel is survived by two sister-in-laws, Alverta Pinder of Greenwood, DE, and Roseanna Pinder of Houston, DE; She is survived by a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, as well as other family members and her friends at Gilpin Hall. Read Grethel Townsend's Obituary and Guestbook on houseofwrightmortuary.com.