Obituary for Aletha Townsend
Aletha Townsend was born in Dillon, SC on November 1, 1936, to the late J.B. Townsend and Maggie Harley. She was the elder of two children. Her relatives James Mitchell, Lucille Mitchell and Fodie Culvertson raised Aletha and her sister. She spent her formative years in Rowland, NC, where she attended elementary school and middle school. She also attended Lincoln Heights High School, located in Laurinburg, NC. After graduation from Lincoln Heights High School in 1953, Aletha moved to Washington, DC where she furthered her education at DC Teachers College/Federal City College, majoring in Business and Retail Marketing/Buying.
She married Edwin H. Jenkins and this union produced one son, Everett Floyd Jenkins. Aletha was a loving and devoted mother, and spending quality time with Everett far outweighed pursuing her career.
Raised in the Methodist and Presbyterian churches, she later joined The Church of the Immaculate Conception under the leadership of the late Reverend Monsignor J. Joshua Mundell. Aletha’s unwavering faith and her belief in the power of prayer sustained her throughout her life and encouraged and supported her family, colleagues and friends.
Aletha began her work career as an Assistant Buyer for Frank R. Jelleff, Inc. She then accepted a position as an administrative assistant at Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in American, located on Quincy Street NE. Seeking employment closer to home, Aletha accepted a position at US News & World Report on November 1, 1976. She began her career there as the lobby receptionist, greeting and directing visitors and answering telephone inquiries. She was later transferred to the News Department, initially distributing wire service copy to editors and writers, then serving as the receptionist for the News Department.
Aletha loved working at US News and according to her colleagues, she was a beloved and respected member of the US News family. She was known for her professional treatment of everyone at the magazine, regardless of their position. She had a bright smile, a cheerful personality, an infectious laugh, a grace and elegance wherever she went and a warmth and sincerity that drew people to her. The many kind words and fond memories from her friends and colleagues attest to the profound impact that she had and continues to have on their lives even now. She resigned her position at US News on March 11, 2005.
In 2006 Aletha accepted a position at the United Nations Foundation, greeting and directing visitors and fielding telephone calls. She also established lasting relationships with colleagues and was known for wearing beautiful African attire every day. She was admired for her professionalism and dedication. Ted Turner, the media entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the UN Foundation in 1998, became acquainted with Aletha during a visit to the Foundation’s DC office. He then made it a point to stop by and visit Aletha whenever he came to the DC office. Aletha retired from the UN Foundation on November 14, 2023.
Aletha’s caring and devotion as a mother extended beyond her biological son Everett. She helped to raise five other children: Edwin A. Jenkins, Shelby Jenkins, Shawn Jenkins, Alicia Jenkins-Callender and Dionne Jenkins-Wallace. Aletha never referred to them as “stepchildren”. She showed the same attention and love to all of her children equally.
Aletha was known for her amazing recall, from memory only, of hundreds of birthdays and anniversaries. Her friends, family and colleagues knew that they would receive from her a phone call, email or text on their special day. She also telephoned, either weekly or monthly, many people, including her family and her goddaughter. She was also a wonderful, creative cook. She provided catering for graduations, work parties and many other occasions. She also baked the most delicious CHEESECAKES, inventing many different flavors from a basic recipe. Aletha’s tremendous generosity was also evident in her cooking. Over the years she prepared numerous meals for friends in need that were unable to cook for themselves.
Aletha’s kindness and devotion also extended to her pets. Throughout their lives she loved and cared for her dogs Maximillian, Titus, Miles and Arnold, her current pet.
Aletha collected and cherished photographs of colleagues, members of Congress, activists, entertainers and all of her children. She proudly displayed all of her photos at work and at home.
Because of her elegance and her larger-than-life personality,
Aletha could light up a room just by entering it. Her humor, energy, generosity, and warmth will be sorely missed by her family and friends.
Aletha was preceded in death by her parents JB Townsend and Maggie Harley, sister Loretta and husband Edward H. Jenkins. She leaves to mourn her children: sons Everett, Edwin, Shawn and Shelby daughters Alicia (Corey) and Dionne (Tyrone); 17 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; Fode Culvertson, James Mitchell and Lucille McNeill; goddaughter Ashley Young, Melea Greenfield (Henry) her friend of 45 plus years; colleagues at US News & World Report and The United Nations Foundation, and the many lives she touched.
She married Edwin H. Jenkins and this union produced one son, Everett Floyd Jenkins. Aletha was a loving and devoted mother, and spending quality time with Everett far outweighed pursuing her career.
Raised in the Methodist and Presbyterian churches, she later joined The Church of the Immaculate Conception under the leadership of the late Reverend Monsignor J. Joshua Mundell. Aletha’s unwavering faith and her belief in the power of prayer sustained her throughout her life and encouraged and supported her family, colleagues and friends.
Aletha began her work career as an Assistant Buyer for Frank R. Jelleff, Inc. She then accepted a position as an administrative assistant at Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in American, located on Quincy Street NE. Seeking employment closer to home, Aletha accepted a position at US News & World Report on November 1, 1976. She began her career there as the lobby receptionist, greeting and directing visitors and answering telephone inquiries. She was later transferred to the News Department, initially distributing wire service copy to editors and writers, then serving as the receptionist for the News Department.
Aletha loved working at US News and according to her colleagues, she was a beloved and respected member of the US News family. She was known for her professional treatment of everyone at the magazine, regardless of their position. She had a bright smile, a cheerful personality, an infectious laugh, a grace and elegance wherever she went and a warmth and sincerity that drew people to her. The many kind words and fond memories from her friends and colleagues attest to the profound impact that she had and continues to have on their lives even now. She resigned her position at US News on March 11, 2005.
In 2006 Aletha accepted a position at the United Nations Foundation, greeting and directing visitors and fielding telephone calls. She also established lasting relationships with colleagues and was known for wearing beautiful African attire every day. She was admired for her professionalism and dedication. Ted Turner, the media entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the UN Foundation in 1998, became acquainted with Aletha during a visit to the Foundation’s DC office. He then made it a point to stop by and visit Aletha whenever he came to the DC office. Aletha retired from the UN Foundation on November 14, 2023.
Aletha’s caring and devotion as a mother extended beyond her biological son Everett. She helped to raise five other children: Edwin A. Jenkins, Shelby Jenkins, Shawn Jenkins, Alicia Jenkins-Callender and Dionne Jenkins-Wallace. Aletha never referred to them as “stepchildren”. She showed the same attention and love to all of her children equally.
Aletha was known for her amazing recall, from memory only, of hundreds of birthdays and anniversaries. Her friends, family and colleagues knew that they would receive from her a phone call, email or text on their special day. She also telephoned, either weekly or monthly, many people, including her family and her goddaughter. She was also a wonderful, creative cook. She provided catering for graduations, work parties and many other occasions. She also baked the most delicious CHEESECAKES, inventing many different flavors from a basic recipe. Aletha’s tremendous generosity was also evident in her cooking. Over the years she prepared numerous meals for friends in need that were unable to cook for themselves.
Aletha’s kindness and devotion also extended to her pets. Throughout their lives she loved and cared for her dogs Maximillian, Titus, Miles and Arnold, her current pet.
Aletha collected and cherished photographs of colleagues, members of Congress, activists, entertainers and all of her children. She proudly displayed all of her photos at work and at home.
Because of her elegance and her larger-than-life personality,
Aletha could light up a room just by entering it. Her humor, energy, generosity, and warmth will be sorely missed by her family and friends.
Aletha was preceded in death by her parents JB Townsend and Maggie Harley, sister Loretta and husband Edward H. Jenkins. She leaves to mourn her children: sons Everett, Edwin, Shawn and Shelby daughters Alicia (Corey) and Dionne (Tyrone); 17 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; Fode Culvertson, James Mitchell and Lucille McNeill; goddaughter Ashley Young, Melea Greenfield (Henry) her friend of 45 plus years; colleagues at US News & World Report and The United Nations Foundation, and the many lives she touched.