Miriam Joyce Townsend

On January 20, 1943, Miriam Joyce was born to Leona and Kenneth Kortge of West Salem, Illinois and was welcomed by her brother Harry who was only two-years old. She grew up and worked hard on the family farm and as the years passed, her family grew larger with siblings John, David, Ann and Michael.
During her childhood, Miriam was very active in school serving as President of her class, involved in Drama Club, Girl's Glee Club, among others. She was also very athletic. "Mim", her childhood nickname, played softball, basketball, and was also a Majorette as a baton twirler. She won Miss Congeniality at the Village West Salem Homecoming and Chowder. In 1961, she graduated high school and became a nurse's aid at the local hospital.
After her training in data entry, she moved to Springfield, Illinois where she lived several years employed by the city and Sangamon State University. In 1974, Miriam moved to Phoenix, Arizona to be near her sister, Ann, who was attending college. Later that year, on a weekend trip to Los Angeles, she met and fell in love with Harvey Allen Townsend, whom she married January 31, 1977. They settled in Granada Hills and together had two children: Damon Lee and Tiffany Marie. She took great pride in her children and always showed them a tremendous amount of love and support.
After 30 years of employment as a Computer Operator at Warner Brothers, Miriam retired. Always one to stay busy, she started working again at the Great Indoors. Miriam was a very active woman. She cleaned her own pool, decorated her house beautifully for every holiday and volunteered at Providence Holy Cross hospital. She was always there to lend a helping hand for family and friends alike. She was given the nickname "Sweetie" by her "son" Ranj, which was so fitting because she was one of the sweetest, most caring, and thoughtful women around.
After experiencing great heartbreak with the tragic loss of her son Damon in 1995, Miriam's light started to shine again when she was blessed with her first grandson, Damon Allen. A few years later, she welcomed her second grandson, Caden George, and the fun never stopped. Her family was the light of her life and she never turned down the chance to brag about hergrandsons. She was their number one fan and attendedevery school event, every sports game, played games with them and traveled often with the family, making greatmemories everywhere they went. When she wasn't attending her grandsons sporting events or working around the house, you could find her watching a Chicago Bears game. Her warm smile and gentle presence will be greatly missed. She lived her life, up to the very last moment, enjoying what she loved most – her family and friends.
Miriam was preceded in death by her father and mother,her father-in-law and mother-in-law, husband, Harvey and her beloved son, Damon. She is survived by her daughter, Tiffany, grandchildren Damon and Caden, brothers Harry, John, David, and Michael, sister Ann and many relatives and friends.