Warren Dale Townsend, born December 16, 1957, was called from labor on August 15, 2023, Tuesday morning of this week, surrounded by his loving family at his home. He was a remarkable individual whose presence brought light to the lives of all who knew him.
Warren was born to Georgia Lee and William Townsend, both of whom he now joins in eternal peace. He was preceded in death by his brothers James and Bill Townsend, his sister Treeva Houpt, and his beloved son Jacob Townsend. A devoted Christian, Warren’s faith in Jesus Christ was a cornerstone of his life. He found immense joy in his relationship with Christ and his commitment to living out his faith every day. He served the local church faithfully and devoutly, embodying the teachings of love, compassion, and service.
Warren was also a distinguished professional who made significant contributions to the field of state tax policy. His expertise was recognized on a national level, being named one of the top ten experts in the US on state tax policy. He received the Institute for Professionals in Taxation’s Special Award for Tax Education, a testament to his commitment to excellence.
His dedication extended to various roles on boards and committees, including the Council on State Taxation, the California Taxpayers Association, the Streamlined Sales Tax Business Advisory Council, and the Retailers of Common Interest. He held leadership positions such as Chair of Uniformity in Administrative Requirements and Co-Chair of the Tax Audit Issues Committee at the Institute for Professionals in Taxation.
In addition to his professional achievements, Warren was incredibly involved with the Cattleman’s Association. He was a recipient of various special designations within the association, reflecting his dedication and passion for the industry. Warren’s influence reached beyond his immediate community spheres. He was an active member of the Texas Retail Association, the Restaurant Industry Sales Tax Audit
Professionals, the National Association of Black Accountants, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, the National Retail Foundation, and the Louisiana Association of Tax Administrators.
Family and friends are invited to a come and go memorial service to celebrate Warren’s life. The service will be held on Saturday, August 26th, at Goodman First Baptist Church from 11 AM to 1 PM. Warren Townsend’s legacy will live on through the lives he touched, the love he shared, and the memories he leaves behind. May he rest in eternal peace.
Warren Dale Townsend, born Dec 16, 1957, Called From Labor on Aug 15, 2023, surrounded by family. A devoted Christian, he served his faith and community diligently. Excelling in state tax policy, he was a top US expert and honored by the Institute for Professionals in Taxation. Warren led in tax organizations and played pivotal roles on boards such as the Council on State Taxation. Highly involved in the Cattleman’s Association, he earned special designations for dedication. His influence extended beyond his profession, actively engaged in associations like the Texas Retail Association and National Association of Black Accountants.
A memorial service is on Aug 26, 11 AM-1 PM, Goodman First Baptist Church. Warren’s legacy is one of faith, dedication, and love, impacting all he met. May he rest in peace.
He is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Debbie. His children Caleb and husband, James and wife Katie, Isaac and wife Madison, Sam and wife Elizabeth. His sister Darlene Sprague. His grandchildren Jacob Augustine, Charlotte and Maisyn. And numerous nieces and nephews.
lovingly written by the family.
9 Responses
Warren was a good man. He will be missed. RIP.
My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Warren Townsend. I met Warren about 20 years ago in the tax world and found him to be most generous with his knowledge and time. His impact in the tax world was signifcant and I am grateful that I got to know him. Warren was always reliable for a great tax story.
I am so sorry to hear of Warren’s untimely death. Warren was a consummate tax professional throughout his career, and I had the pleasure or working with him on both sides of the table for longer than I can remember. Decades. I admired his intellect, sense of humor, judgment, loyalty and dedication to his professional responsibilities, whatever for whomever they may have been at the time. Warren was unique and will certainly be missed.
Warren was truly one of a kind. It is an honor to have worked with him, and to have been able to call him my friend.
My deepest sympathies for his family. Please be gentle with yourselves as you move through this journey of life.
Warren was a wonderful, lovable, well respected man. He could make you laugh about taxes. I trained Warren as a Arkansas DFA FieldTax Auditor. He had some of the best exaggerated faces when telling a story.
We didn’t see each other often except at IPT meetings and occasionally at the IPT NW Arkansas Meetings but we always welcomed each other as old friends catching up with each others lives. I will always miss seeing him as he was a favorite of mine on the IPT stage.
May he rest in peace and may his family have loving memories of his days.
He was a good man.
Always laughing!
You will be missed my friend!
News of Warren’s death is saddening indeed but given Warren’s faith I feel ike the hymns he might choose for his memorial might well include “O Happy Day!”
I worked closely with Warren for a number of years when he was an auditor and I was a lawyer for Arkansas Revenue. Later, when he moved to WalMart and I to JCPenney, we had many more opportunities to work together as members of groups such as the Institute for Tax Professionals, National Retail Federation, Retail Industries Leaders Association, Streamlined Sales Tax Project and others. Warren was well-recognized as a talented and bright tax professional who had a knack for solving problems. His judgement, sense of humor and communication skills were remarkable and made working with him a joy.
More importanly, Warren loved and often spoke of hs family, who he loved deeply. He was a good, kind man and his life was truly well lived. I feel privileged that he called me a friend.
Some people that you meet along your path are larger than life. Warren was one of those people. Very few people
I have ever met have had the positive outlook, good humor and laughter that Warren had. He was extremely intelligent, but so down to earth he always made you feel comfortable and like you were an old friend. His was indeed a life well lived!!
I came to know Warren through his wife, my first cousin. He was highly intelligent with a sincerely warm personality. A rare combination.
His singing voice was exceptional. He will be missed by all whose lives he blessed.
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