'Beloved' two-sport Jefferson High School coach Joe Townsend dies at 52

New York native had coached Raiders' baseball since 2010, and also guided school's girls bowling program to WIAA championship in February

Joe Townsend, the baseball and girls bowling coach at Jefferson High School (WA), died Tuesday night. / Photo courtesy of Jefferson baseball

Two-sport Jefferson High School coach Joe Townsend, also honored for his mentorship work with youth in King County, died unexpectedly Tuesday night. He was 52.

A New York native, Jefferson had been the Raiders' baseball coach since 2010. He also guided the school's girls bowling team to the WIAA Class 3A championship last winter at Bowlero in Tukwila.

News of Townsend's death was first reported by the Federal Way Mirror on Wednesday. John Yellam, the athletic director for Federal Way Public Schools, also confirmed the news to High School on SI/SBLive WA.

"Joe was the most beloved coach in our league," longtime Kentwood baseball coach Mark Zender said. "He made you feel like you were his favorite coach in the league. He was fully dedicated to his kids at (Jefferson) and those he coached in the summer.

"He’ll be missed but never forgotten. We all loved him because he loved everybody."

After wrapping up a college baseball career at Long Island University, Townsend spent a brief time in the Chicago Cubs' farm system before joining the U.S. Army, eventually sent to Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

A longtime corrections officer at the King County Juvenile Detention Center in Seattle, Townsend has led Jefferson baseball for the past 15 seasons.

His best year came in 2014 when the Raiders won 16 games, placing fourth in the 4A SPSL's North Division and advancing to the District 3/4 championships, losing ti Skyview.

Currently, Jefferson is 7-10 in the 3A NPSL and on track to make it to the postseason. Its scheduled game Wednesday against Beamer has been postponed.

Also the son of a PBA regional champion (Joe Townsend Sr.), Townsend oversaw the girls program at Jefferson. The Raiders were runaway state champions in February.

In 2017, Townsend was given the Martin Luther King, Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service award for his mentorship of youth in south King County.

Also an accomplished men's senior baseball league player, he was inducted into the MSBL hall of fame in 2021.

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