WALTHAM – John Carlton Talley died March 25, 2011, in Waltham. He is now at rest with the Lord after a brief illness. He was born June 24, 1927, in Washington, D.C., to Frances de Montoya Talley of Albuquerque, N.M., and Carlton Talley of Virginia. He lived 83 years and it feels not long enough to his family and friends.
John was a World War II Army veteran and toured in U.S. occupied Japan. After returning to the U.S., he went to Embry Riddle in Florida on the GI Bill, where he became an aviation mechanic, an occupation that took him through an evolution of aviation technologies until his retirement in the early 1980s, when he moved to Maine. After retiring from Eastern Airlines, he earned his private pilot’s license and spent many happy hours flying and many years restoring a 1946 Ercoupe; John “flew the Coupe” in fall 2010. In 2008 the Federal Aviation Administration awarded him with a master’s in aviation for his 50-plus years as an aviation mechanic. He was a regular attendee of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, a NASCAR fan of anything Ford, and a regular blood donor at Red Cross blood drives. Always an avid reader, visiting Ellsworth Public Library was the most frequent reason for him to drive to town.
John is survived by his wife of 40 years, Mary E. (Robinson) Talley; four sons, John Talley and wife, Elizabeth, of Northport, Fla., David Talley and wife, Miriam, of San Antonio, Texas, Michael Talley of Fredericksburg, Va., and Richard Talley of Weatherford, Texas; three daughters, Maria Rule and husband, Edward, of Fredericksburg, Va., Catherine De La O and husband, Joseph, of Hancock and Emily Muise and husband, Leroy, of Trenton; a sister, Virginia Powers of Silver Springs, Md.; nine grandsons, Daniel, Garrison, Brandon, Christopher, Brent, Jonathan, Benjamin, Henry and Matthew; three great-grandchildren, as well as extended family and many friends.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 30, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 231 Main St., Ellsworth, with Father Scott Mower, celebrant. Interment will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Ellsworth at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in John’s memory to Ellsworth Public Library, 20 State St., Ellsworth, ME 04605; CancerCare of Maine, care of Eastern Maine Charities, P.O. Box 931, Bangor, ME 04402-0931; Mary Dow Center, 50 Union St., Ellsworth, ME 04605; St. Joseph Catholic Church, 231 Main St., Ellsworth, ME 04605 and/or your local community hospice. Condolences may be expressed at
www.jordanfernald.com.