After graduating from Central, Donald R. Townsend attended Coe College where he graduated with honors. He was accepted to University of Nebraska’s College of Medicine, graduated with honors, and entered the military, serving as flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. Following his service, Donald began a residency at the University of Southern California, and, upon completion, he entered private practice in Oakland, California, where he completed over 40 years as an orthopedic, pediatric surgeon. He was also chief of staff at two hospitals. During his career, Dr. Townsend completed a Fellowship in Pediatric Orthopedics at University of Cincinnati Medical Center and was the chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Oakland. He also participated in Operation Rainbow, a project related to pediatric procedures being used in Lima, Peru. While there, Dr. Townsend was given the nickname of “Dr. Rapido” for the rapid, but precise, techniques which he used for addressing the birth defects afflicting the children of that region.
Donald passed away in 2009 at the age of 68.