William Arthur Talley

William Arthur Talley was born in Post, Texas on November 23, 1940. He passed away on August 23, 2021, in Tyler, Texas at the Hospice of East Texas after a short illness. As a child, his parents moved to Sayre, OK where he graduated from high school. While living there he met and married Ruby Snider on November 16, 1968.

W.A. began his career working part-time during the summer for the Rock Island Railroad in El Reno, OK where he became a full-time employee. He drove railroad ties early in his career and was assigned tasks with increasing responsibility until the Rock Island Railroad went out of business in the early 1980’s. W.A. relocated his family to Kansas City, KS to work for the Southern Pacific Railroad where he obtained a 2nd class radio license and was assigned responsibilities as a Communications Installer and Maintainer.

In 1991 his family relocated again to Tyler, Texas to support the Cotton Belt subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad which was eventually acquired by Union Pacific Corporation in the late 1990’s. W.A. retired from Union Pacific in 2005 with 39 years railroad experience.

Tyler was a great location for the Talley family, because of the St. Louis School that was able to provide for the special needs of their daughter, T.K.

W.A. was a very devoted father to his daughter T.K. W.A. and Ruby were married for 52 years.

He was preceded in death by his daughter T.K. in December 2005, his parents Arthur Talley and Frances Davis and his father and mother in-law, Tom and Cora Snider.

A graveside service for William will be held Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Tyler Memorial Cemetery, 12053 State Highway 64 West, Tyler, Texas 75704.