Herbert W. Talley Sr.

Herbert Walter Talley Sr., born Nov 2, 1927, in Marianna, Fl., passed away Dec 18th at 86 years of age at home. He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Annie Eulah Lawrence Talley, and family.

Herbert served in the Navy during World War II as a pilot of a personnel landing craft in the Pacific. At seventeen, he fought in the major battles of Leyte Gulf followed by Iwo Jima among other decisive battles of the war. He married Annie May 2, 1945. After the war, he enlisted in the Army and subsequently the Air Force after it split from the Army Air Corp.

He was a pilot and instructor early in his Air Force career. He was an aircraft commander with Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the cold war. His assignments included Fairbanks, Alaska during the time of the second largest earthquake in world history March 27, 1964 which registered at 9.2magnitude. He flew many C-130 rescue missions in its aftermath. That summer he shared the experience by taking the family camping around the State telling stories of the devastation others had endured.

He retired from the Air Force after 25 years of service and settled in Tallahassee, Fl. where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree from FSU. He and Ann obtained their real estate licenses and worked at Crossland Realty before opening their own brokerage. They developed several subdivisions, residential rentals, and commercial properties in Tallahassee and St. George Island. Over the years, Herb and Ann enjoyed flying his Cessna, the Red Baron, boating trips on their main ship trawler, Talley Ho and traveling the country in their motorhome.

Herbert’s greatest treasure was his family, and he was the quintessential role model as husband, father, grandfather, Great Grandfather and mentor. He was very close to his family in Marianna and thoroughly enjoyed the annual reunions there and with Ann’s family in Panama City.

Herbert is also survived by his younger sister, Mary Frances Hale of Sacramento, California, his four children, Diane Howard Simpson (Clyde) of Monticello, H. Walter Talley, Jr. (Pam) of Tallahassee, Debbie Brown Rodby of Murphy, NC, and Marie Talley of Tallahassee. His eight grandchildren include Kimberly Turpin (Raymond) of Waynesville, NC, Vicki Caldwell (Tod) of Sterling, Virginia, Chris Howard (Lisa) of Macon, Ga, Rick Brown (Mary) of Tallahassee, Jason Brown (Heather) of St. Augustine, Fl, Adam Talley (Noelle) of Clearwater, Fl. and John David Talley of Clearwater, Fl. Kathleen Hanson(Mark) Racine, Wi. Herbert also has 16 great grandchildren: Julia and Ray Turpin; Samantha Murkerson (Michael), and Joseph Caldwell; Ann Elizabeth, Mary Wade, and Wren Howard; Luke Talley , Kirsten and Kristian May; Alex and Connor Brown; Alanna Bartolec, Graham Brown, Haydn Acosta, and Carson Brown.

A memorial service will be held at Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home on 1737 Riggins Rd. in Tallahassee, Friday, December 27th at noon followed by visitation and reception at Culley’s. Memorial donations may be sent to Parents Project Muscular Dystrophy (www. Parentprojectmd.org/) in memory of Herbert. As Herb would say goodbye, “Talley Ho” to a hero in every sense of the word.