Dennis Clinton Towns

Dennis Clinton Towns was born on the 05th day of December in the year 1918, at the family log home about 0.8 miles from Litroe, Louisiana, 0.35 miles South of the Arkansas/Louisiana State Line.. He was the 2nd child and 2nd son of Mary Estelle Vines and Oliver Dennis Towns (aka Ollie). He was given his fathers middle name (Dennis) as his first name and his middle name (Clinton) was the middle name of his maternal grandfather (Larkin Clinton Vines). Dennis Clinton Towns was preceded in birth by his older brother Oliver Elton Towns (the 1st born child) and followed in birth by a sister (Mary Eloise Towns) and a brother (Leonard Vines Towns). Dennis graduated from Marion High School on the 2nd day of June 1938 and left home in search of new opportunities, being first in Alexandria, LA for his Paternal Aunt (Lula Towns-Watson) and later moving to Shreveport, LA in 1941 where he worked with Alvin and Elvin Barham. They introduced him to their sister, Estelle Viola Barham, in May of 1942. Dennis and Estelle (Born: 12 October 1919 at Bradley, Arkansas) were married on the 10 day of October 1942, in the Parsonage of the 1st Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA 71105, by the Reverend Dr. M.E. Dodd, Pastor of the 1st Baptist Church. When Estelle died in at the age of 86 years, 3 months on 11 January 2006, they had been married 63 years, 2 months and 28 days. Dennis and Estelle had three (3) children: Oliver Dennis Towns Sr., Susan Diane Towns and Patricia Carolyn Towns. MILITARY SERVICE: Dennis was drafted as part of the WW II buildup and inducted on the 21st day of November 1942 reporting for service on the 30th day of November 1942, at Shreveport, LA. Although newly married and he and his wife expecting their first child, he willingly went to serve his country. While he was serving in Burma and India, his son, Oliver Dennis Towns Sr., was born. With the war against the Nazi's and Japanese won, Dennis was released, as a Corporal, from service, on the 18th day of April 1946 as part of the WWII Demobilization. Dennis moved back to Litroe, LA in 1946 and was employed as a Union Iron Worker. While living in Litroe, LA, his two daughters (Susan Dianne Towns and Patricia Carolyn Towns) were born. In 1950, he enrolled in Arkansas A & M University at Monticello, AR and where he studied Forestry and Agriculture. In 1952, he transferred to LA Tech University where the family lived in the Veteran's student housing complex known as ""Vetville""; Graduating from LA Tech in 1955 with a Major in Agriculture and a Minor in Forestry. Dennis and family returned to Shreveport in 1960 where he worked as a supervisor with the LA Department of Health, retiring in 1990. In May of 2012, his health dictated him moving to the Northwest War Veterans Home, Bossier City, LA; where he remained until his death. Dennis was a longtime member of the Masonic Fraternity: Master Mason, a 33rd Degree York Rite Mason and a Shriner. He is survived by his three children: Col. Oliver Dennis Towns Sr. (USAF Ret.) of Shreveport, LA; Susan Towns-Pardue of Farmerville, LA; and Patricia Towns-Araktingi of San Francisco, CA; Daughter-in-Law, Louise Pilgreen-Towns; Son-in-Law, Dr. Ivan Araktingi; Son-in-Law, R. Elton Pardue; three grandchildren, Carol Towns-Williams, (wife of Craig L. Williams Lt. Col., USAF, Ret.); Oliver Dennis Towns Jr., Lt. Col., USAF, Ret. (husband of USAF Col Jennifer Block-Towns), and Ivan Araktingi Jr. (wife - Beth); a brother (Leonard Vines Towns) and a sister (Mary Eloise Towns-Barham); Five (5) great grandchildren (Jessica Lee Williams, Austin Craig Williams, Olivia Louise Towns, Dennis Courtney Towns, Luke Araktingi) and many nephews and nieces. Visitation will be at the First Baptist Church, Marion, LA from 4-7 PM on Friday, 10 July 2015 . Graveside Services on Saturday, 11 July 2015, at 11:00 AM at the Union Cemetery, Sadie, LA.