Christopher A. Townley

Christopher Alan Townley died Friday, March 6, 2020 at his home in Chickamauga, Georgia with his family by his side after a year-long battle with glioblastoma. Chris was born in Columbus, Ohio on August 11, 1952. He graduated from Tucker High School in Tucker, Georgia, attended Stetson University, and graduated from Mercer University and Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He married Sandra Carolyn Davis, his high school sweetheart, in 1972. Their twins, Heather and Shaun, were born in 1977. 

After law school, he worked in the District Attorney’s office in South Georgia. After moving to Northwest Georgia in 1978, he worked in the District Attorney’s office for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. After leaving the D.A.'s office, he worked at Harriss, Hartman Law Office and in 1990 began his own practice which he ran for over twenty five years. In 2018, he was elected Solicitor General of Walker County State Court. 

Chris served on the Georgia Bar’s Board of Governors, the Investigative Panel, and the Disciplinary Rules and Procedures Committee. In 2017 he won a unanimous decision before the US Supreme Court in US v Honeycutt. He was awarded the 2018-19 Chief Justice Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism Award by the State Bar of Georgia, an award given annually to just one of the more than 50,000 lawyers in Georgia. Chris was awarded this honor “for conducting himself with dignity, kindness, preparation and skill”.

Chris loved the practice of law and dedicated his talents to help others in the administration of justice. During this difficult journey, he was able to feel the love and appreciation of the many who he had helped along the way.

Chris served the Cherokee Presbytery as moderator and was a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church (USA). He was a member of Chickamauga Presbyterian Church for over forty years. He served as a Sunday School teacher, liturgist, youth group leader, choir member, and treasurer. He recently began attending Elizabeth Lee United Methodist Church.

Chris loved his family, his God, his community, and the practice of law. He enjoyed spending time with family, especially his grandchildren, as well as traveling, coaching, playing golf, and working in his yard. He supported his children and grandchildren in all their activities.

He is survived by his wife, Sandi, his daughter, Heather, and his son, Shaun (Erin), his grandchildren, Matthew and Joseph, and his brothers, Matt Townley (Joan) and Russ Townley (Monica), his nephew, Josh, and his nieces, Anna, Nicole, and Kelli. He is preceded in death by his parents, Paul & Shirley Townley.

Visitation will be at Heritage Funeral Home & Crematory at 3239 Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia on Friday, March 13th from 4pm to 7pm. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 14th at 2pm at Elizabeth Lee United Methodist Church in Chickamauga, Georgia.

The family would like to thank Hearth Hospice for their wonderful care and support.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made in Chris’s name to the Georgia Bar Foundation at 104 Marietta St. NW, Suite 610, Atlanta, GA 30303 or to the Elizabeth Lee UMC Building Fund, P.O. Box 126, Chickamauga, Georgia 30707.

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