Thomas Edward Townsend

Thomas Edward (Tommy) Townsend, MD, of Bristol, Va., passed away August 29, 2022, at the age of 74. Born October 22, 1947, in Little Rock to Dr. Thomas Edward (Tom Ed) and Wanda Townsend, Tommy grew up in Pine Bluff and graduated from Pine Bluff High School, Hendrix College, and UAMS Medical School. After completing his internship at UAMS, Tommy joined the National Health Service Corps as a family practice doctor in a small community clinic in Independence, Va. After serving there for 17 years he was recruited to join East Tennessee State University Family Medicine faculty and to start a program for Clinical Ethics. Tommy continued sharing his unmatched skill in both the science and art of medicine with that medical community and the patients he loved for 31 years. And they loved him. In addition to being an ambassador to the National Health Service Corps and serving on their first National Advisory Council, Tommy received the Commendation Medal of the U.S. Public Health Service, was selected Provider of the Year by the Virginia Primary Care Association, and was an invited guest to meet with then-President Bill Clinton to discuss rural issues in health care during the health care reform discussion of 1994. He received the 2005 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, which recognizes faculty members who demonstrate both clinical excellence and outstanding compassion in the delivery of care, was a member the Scarlet Sash Society, recognizing him as one of the top ten professors in medical school by the graduating class, and was an inaugural member of the East Tennessee State Quillen College of Medicine Gold Humanism Honor Society. He also received the Dean's Teaching Recognition Award and Outstanding Faculty Member, Bristol Family Practice Center for several years. Tommy loved to cook and was an avid reader, but he also loved being outdoors and treasured his time spent at his cabin on the Piney, surrounded by the wilderness of the Ozark National Forest. Tommy is survived by his wife, Janet Metz; sisters, Elizabeth Townsend and Sherry Owen; brother; R. Mark Townsend; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Tom Ed and Wanda Townsend; brother, C. Lane Townsend; and niece Tara Lane Talbot. Memorials may be made to the Thomas E. Townsend Memorial Scholarship at East Tennessee State University. Make checks payable to ETSU Foundation, note the name of the scholarship and send to ETSU Advancement, PO Box 70721, Johnson City, Tenn. 37614, or visit www.etsu.edu/give.