Obituary: Kenneth Stevens Talbert
March 5, 1944 - December 1, 2022
January 16, 2023 June 7, 2023
A celebration of Ken’s life will be held Saturday, June 10, at 11 a.m. at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Waterbury with a reception to follow in the church dining room. A private inurnment service will take place in Hope Cemetery in Waterbury.
Kenneth Stevens Talbert, 78, passed away at his home on Thursday, December 1, 2022, surrounded by his immediate family in Nashville, Tennessee. Born March 5, 1944, he was the son of the late Earl R. and Lena M. (Garvey) Talbert. He married the love of his life Sharon Gile and they shared nearly 58 years together.
Kenneth Stevens Talbert, courtesy photo
Kenneth graduated from Waterbury High School in the Class of 1962. After four years in the United States Navy where he got valuable training, he immediately was hired upon discharge with NCR Corporation in Burlington where he was a field engineer for 35 years, training on everything the company made and serviced. He traveled the roads of Vermont and New York repairing anything from bank machines to ATMs. He then continued such work in Florida for Efmark. He loved his job and the customers and he ultimately was rewarded with the honor of “NCR Field Engineer of the Year” indicating his commitment and pride in his job.
Ken felt such joy and pride in his and Sharon’s marriage of more than 57 years and their family and friends spread across the country, having lived in Vermont, Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee. Ken’s huge capacity for loving and caring for those around him was indescribable, being felt even by those knowing him briefly. Words used to describe Ken might be “wonderfully kind, crazy in a goofy sense, hence the ‘Goofy Grampa’ title, thoughtful of others, loving, generous and entertaining.” Folks he met as strangers were just a friend he hadn’t made yet. He earned the label, “The myth, the man, the legend” by his grandchildren. He is and will continue to be missed by many who were fortunate to know him.
Ken is survived by his wife Sharon Talbert, of Nashville; his son David Talbert and his wife Deanna (Johnson) and their four children Bronwyn, Veronica, Ian and Maeve, all living nearby; his daughter-in-law Pamela (Scott’s widow) and son Josiah Scott, Pamela’s husband Bill Truax and their daughters Abigail and Ellie. Ken so loved all their grown adult children and grandchildren and was so proud of each of them.
He also is survived by his sisters Mary Jane Naylor, Judith Morrison and her husband Bart, and Cynthia Wick; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family. Ken was predeceased by his son Gordon Scott Talbert and his brother Robert L. Talbert.
A celebration of Ken’s life will be held Saturday, June 10, at 11 a.m. at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Waterbury with a reception to follow in the church dining room. A private inurnment service will take place in Hope Cemetery in Waterbury.
For contact and condolences please reach out to Sharon Talbert, 8300 Sawyer Brown Rd. Unit Q-301, Nashville, TN 37221 or email kenshat65@gmail.com. Online condolences also may be made on the Perkins Parker Funeral Home website.