GLADEWATER MEMORIAL PARK - UPSHUR COUNTY

Tallent, Jimmy Arnold 
	
TYLER - Funeral services for Jimmy Arnold Tallent, of Tyler, 
will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, January 11, 2008, at Green 
Acres Baptist Church Chapel, with the Dr. Darryle Dunks & 
Rev. Ken Brumley officiating. Burial will follow at a 
graveside service at Gladewater Memorial Park, Highway 80 
West, under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home.
Jimmy passed away on January 7, 2008, in Tyler.

He was born September 7, 1935, in Tent City, off the Sabine 
River, a camp for migrant oil field workers, to Art and Edna 
Tallent. He attended and graduated from Gladewater High School, 
followed by attending Kilgore Junior College, being the first 
bus driver for the Kilgore Rangerettes.

Jimmy flew for the U.S. Navy in 1955. He married Rose Marie 
Erwin on March 1, 1959, in Nacogdoches. Jimmy received his 
bachelor of science degree from Stephen F. Austin State 
University in chemistry with a minor in physics. Three days 
later, he joined the insurance industry, under the influence 
of Lloyd Bentsen a former U.S. Senator. Jimmy was in the 
insurance industry for more than 50 years.

Jimmy was active in many community services, including the 
Tyler East Gideon Camp, Tyler Downtown Rotary, Texas 
Association of Life Underwriters, Leadership Class I, Longview 
Oilbelt Association of Life Underwriters, Tyler Metropolitan 
Y.M.C.A., the Republican Party, the American Heart Association, 
Sharon Temple Shriners, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, the 
Masonic Temple and numerous other civic organizations. He was 
a Legislative Emergency Interim Successor for the House of 
Representatives under leadership of Governor Mark White, and 
appointed a member of the Chancellor's Council of the 
University of Texas in Austin. He and his wife attended Green 
Acres Baptist Church. Jimmy and Rose enjoyed traveling with 
friends and family to the four corners of the earth. He was 
known as the "Candy Man" wherever he went as he passed out 
candies with scripture verses on each piece, and his favorite 
phrase was "Life is Terrific!"

Those who preceded Jimmy are his father, Art Tallent; mother, 
Edna Tallent; and brother, Roy Tallent.

Those left behind are his beloved wife, Rose Marie Tallent; 
sons, Tim Tallent of Hot Springs, Ark.,, and Dr. James Tallent 
of Austin; daughter, Debbie Hightower of Cairo, Egypt; 
daughter-in-law, Julie Koe Tallent; son-in-law, Jay Hightower; 
grandchildren, Dustin Tallent, Kristin Tallent, Will Tallent, 
Hollis Hightower, Hallee Hightower and Harper Hightower; and 
great-grandchild, Kennedy Lee Tallent. Also, Jimmy leaves his 
sister, Colleen Coffman of Stone Mountain, Ga.; and brothers, 
Richard Tallent of San Augustine, Melvin Tallent of Glendale, 
Ariz., John Paul Tallent of Gladewater, and Jerry Tallent of 
Erath, La.

Pallbearers will include Jack Erwin, T.C. Erwin, Alfred Jones, 
Mark Mueller, Ernie Negem and John Paul Tallent.
Honorary pallbearers will include Robert Bandy, Carl Bochow Sr., 
Ben Jarvis, Red Little, Ralph Martin, Joe Martel, Ted Clark, 
Jerry Tallent, Melvin Tallent, Richard Tallent and the Tyler 
Gideon Brothers of East Camp.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Gideons International, 
P.O. Box 131993, Tyler TX 75713; or Pulmonary Fibrosis 
Foundation, 1332 N. Halsted St., Suite 201, Chicago, IL 60622 

Visitation for the family and friends will be held from 6-8 p.m. 
this evening, January 10, 2008, at Stewart Family Funeral Home 
at 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy. in Tyler.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 1/10/2008.