If life can have an anchor, then my professional life has been that. For the past 20 years I have been a tobacco ticket marker on the tobacco auction sale. This is a profession that is somewhat like being a blacksmith...it is something not everyone can do, it pays pretty well and it leaves me with 6 months a year off...if you have never seen a tobacco auction, then I will show you a video or describe it to you when we meet...it would take too long to describe in print. Having six months off every year led me into income tax preparation (we'll discuss the whys and wherefores in person) so I also run a tax preparation, accounting and financial management business in my 'spare time'. I have been doing this for the past 15 years or so. My personal life has been less accommodating...I have been married twice and have 2 children by my second wife from whom I am now divorced. My children as 13 (daughter, Allison) and 8 (John, IV). I see them for the standard guy-time---every other week-end, etc.

I am a tennisholic now. I am captain of a USTA team tennis team. I play every chance I get and hope to be a senior pro when I grow up. If I had just been introduced to tennis as a youngster I might have been Michael Chang! I earned a pilot's license in 1981 and have been doing fair-weather flying ever since. I'm not Chuck Yeager---I just go up when skies are blue and winds are light. I played tournament chess for a while though I haven't done it lately. Got up to 1700 or so in ratings...I hope to play more when I don't have to earn a living anymore.

I left TI on Dec. 16, 1969, as far as I know, I was the last to leave. Due to network difficulties I went through the administrative board deal twice. When I finally did get out, I headed south to Orange County, CA and wound up marrying Greg Schweer's kid sister. That lasted 7 years. We had many adventure in Orange County with Harold Scalf, Lloyd Nash, Greg, Bill Fowler and others...Margie Schweer and I moved back to NC in 1971 so I could go back to school at UNC-Wilmington. She stuck things out (god bless her) until 1977 or so when she decided that she wanted to return to CA. I stayed in NC. I used all the GI bill I was allotted and would up with degrees in Music (band director) and English (?). After graduating I spent a year in law school at UNC-Chapel Hill before deciding that I had had enough of the academic life. I had gotten tired of being poor so I went into my family profession (the tobacco business) where I had paid plenty of dues and within a year had found the niche that I have occupied ever since...tobacco ticket marker.

Along the way I worked for H&R Block which led to my won tax and accounting business around 81 or so and I picked up another wife in 82 with who I had 2 kids. I maintained my professional life throughout a turbulent personal life which resulted in a divorce in 1994.

I am currently happily single and live in what was my grandparents' home on the family home-place. I do not plan to ever leave, other than for visits now and then. Wilmington has become Hollywood East in the past several years and it has affected everyone who live in this town. Summer before last my family had the honor of hosting Mary Tyler Moore, Linda Lavin, Paul Winfield, et al in the production of ‘Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden' This was a Family channel production which aired in January of 96 and has recently been shown again. Granny's house was featured prominently and mother, my kids and myself were also extras in the production. I will try to get around to sending copies of the movie to everyone who is interested.

I have to tell my Duane Whartman story: Whenever I had a midwatch in the barracks, Duane would make me wake him up a 1 or 2 am and tell him how many hours he had left to sleep until reveille! Whenever I did this, he would thank me and go back to sleep with a smile on his face. Such simple pleasures! I talked to Duane the other night. He left me a message after I alluded to the above situation. He said, "I kinda figured the only guy I knew in the Carolinas was Howard Talley...This is Duane...How the hell did you get my number? And how the hell this? And how the hell that? Just about sums it up, huh?

If you can help find some we don't have, please let us know. If you are willing to participate in the reunion, please write me back or contact Eichenlaub on the Internet. Let's don't lose touch again.

htii
Howard Talley, 6377 Pine Grove Dr., Wilmington, NC 28409. (910) 791-3255,