THURMAN LAMAR TALLEY July 26, 1937 – Nov. 28, 2020
Thurman Lamar Talley of Los Alamos, NM, departed peacefully from this world on November 28, 2020. He was 83.
He was a devoted and inspiring husband, father, grandfather, brother, mentor and friend with a profound and authentic generosity of spirit.
Thurman was born into a caring, working-class family in Portales, NM, where he was an accomplished athlete and student. He studied at Rice and Eastern New Mexico universities, ultimately earning a doctorate in Nuclear Physics from Florida State.
In 1966, he returned to his native New Mexico with a young family to begin what would become a three-decade-long career at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. In that capacity, Thurman engaged in both basic and weapons-related research, and he would serve as a Group Leader and Deputy Associate Director for the laboratory before retiring in 1998.
In 1979, he married Gaye Talley (formerly Momaday), forging a loving partnership that would last until her death in 2016.
Thurman was widely known to be industrious, vigorous, and motivated in both professional and personal life. He had a passion for the outdoors, and he relished backpacking, fishing and alpine skiing. He was active in both the Rotary Club and the United Church of Los Alamos. He also traveled widely to nearly every corner of the globe (including an intrepid, months-long sojourn through the roads and waterways of Western Canada and Alaska in the late 1970s).
An incurable boundary tester of DIY protocols, Thurman designed and hand-built a passive solar house on the rim of Pueblo Canyon over the course of seven (excruciating) years—all before solar was even cool. It is in this home that he would happily spend the remainder of his life.
While Thurman’s self-reliance was the stuff of legend, it pales in comparison to his kind and generous spirit. He was devoted to the welfare of not only his family, but also of anyone who came within his orbit. Thurman spent countless hours with children, grandchildren and mentees, patiently and cheerfully conveying the finer points of automobile repair, trout fishing, math/logic puzzles, riding T-bar lifts, high-energy plasma simulations, woodworking, and proper throwing technique for virtually any type of ball. He was an ever-present, emotional rock and safety net for many. It is that essence of him that will long be remembered—and imperfectly emulated—by all who mourn him.
Thurman leaves behind his sister, Fostelene Talley Halcom of Austin, TX; two children (from his first marriage to Fran Sandstrom Talley, also of Los Alamos), daughter Karine Talley and her fiancé James Murray of Santa Fe, and son Eric Talley and daughter-in-law Gillian Lester of New York, NY; stepdaughter Jill Momaday and Darren Vigil Gray of Santa Fe, and stepdaughter Brit Momaday Leight and her spouse Larry Leight of Santa Monica, CA. (He was preceded in death in 2017 by another stepdaughter, Cael Momaday Doran.)
Survivors also include grandchildren Grace Lester Talley and Rhys Lester Talley; step-grandchildren Skye Momaday McKinney, Luke Wills, Natachee Momaday Gray, Tai Momaday Gray, Devon Leight and Dylan Leight; and niece/nephews Alayne Kulvicki Markland, Michael Kulvicki and Daniel Kulvicki.
A memorial will be announced when public health conditions permit. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society. We sincerely thank all who have reached out with condolences.
Thurman’s family has entrusted his care to Rivera Family Funerals & Cremations of Los Alamos.
