Dr. John Winfred Talley

John Winfred Talley, 101, of Dyersburg, Tennessee, passed away at his home on Sunday, December 8, 2024.

Born on Monday, October 1, 1923, in Johnson City, Tennessee, He was the son of the late Asa Bell Talley and the late Nellie Baker Talley. He grew up in Halls, Tennessee and graduated from Halls High School in 1943. Immediately following graduation, he served in the United States Navy in WWII on Okinawa, Ulithi, and Guam with Carrier Aircraft Service Unit (CASU) 52. He attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and then graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in Memphis in 1951. Upon graduation he entered the U.S. Naval Dental Corps and served a one-year dental internship in general anesthesia, oral surgery and prosthetics at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland and Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Virginia.  After serving one year at the Memphis Naval Air Station in Millington, Dr. Talley was transferred to Blynco Naval Air Station in Brunswick, Georgia as a dental officer. He was released from active duty on August 23, 1954. He opened his private dental practice in Dyersburg, Tennessee in 1955 and retired from dentistry in December 1992. While in private practice he loved his patients and always strived to do what was best for them. He was known for his gentleness and kindness.

John was a member of the Tennessee Dental Association (TDA) and the American Dental Association (ADA) throughout his years in practice. He was very active and served in many positions including Trustee for the TDA and President of the Seventh District of the TDA. He was a fellow of the American College of Dentists. He was active in his church throughout his life. John started the dental clinic at Reelfoot Rural Ministries where he volunteered and provided dental care to underserved patients for 30 years. He had a lifelong love of sailing, building his first sailboat in his home basement. He and his family, including his grandchildren, have wonderful memories of many sailing trips to Kentucky Lake.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his children, and their families. Survivors include his two daughters, Laura Talley Desaulniers (Gene) of Fairfax, Virginia and Lynn Talley Young (Stan) of Dyersburg, Tennessee; his five grandchildren, Jacob Desaulniers (Terri) of Sanford, Florida, Jason Desaulniers (Shannon) of Kernersville, North Carolina, John Young (Whitney) and David Young (Clair) of Dyersburg, Tennessee and Will Young (Jordan) of Cheyenne, Wyoming; great grandchildren, Lauren Troise, Kaylin Troise, Sawyer Young, Graham Young, and one on the way; one great, great grandchild, Carson King, and a nephew, Roger Lee McFadden (Pat) of Lakeland, Florida.

A funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church of Dyersburg on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. conducted by Reverend Mike Hickman. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the church sanctuary immediately before the service. Interment will be after the service in Halls Cemetery, Halls, Tennessee. Pallbearers will be Jacob Desaulniers, Jason Desaulniers, John Young, David Young, Will Young, Gene Desaulniers and Stan Young.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Anita Lacey Talley and grandson, Matthew Ryan Desaulniers.

Memorials may be directed to First Baptist Church of Dyersburg, 220 Masonic St., Dyersburg, TN 38024; Dyersburg Army Air Base Veteran's Museum, 100 Veterans Dr., Halls, TN 38040, or Reelfoot Rural Ministries Dental Clinic, 6923 Minnick Elbridge Road, Obion, TN 38240.

Online condolences may be made to the family at johnson-williamsfuneralhome.com. Johnson-Williams Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Dr. John W. Talley.

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