Timothy Richard Talamantes

Petaluma has lost a good one. Tim Talamantes passed away following a short hospitalization. He had a deep admiration for, and more than a passing knowledge of, Petaluma history and its “old timers”.

Tim was born in Petaluma and lived his entire life there. The third child of Phil and Helen (Rotthaus) Talamantes, he was a proud fifth-generation native Californian. His third great-grandfather came into Alta California as a member of the de Anza Expedition of 1775-1776, and the Bojorques and Talamantes families have lived in or near Petaluma since 1837.

Tim attended local schools, graduating from Petaluma High School and earning his AA degree from Santa Rosa Junior College. In 1964, he married Janet (Murch), and they celebrated 62 years together. They were blessed with two daughters, Ann Margaret, born in 1967 and Wendy Catherine, born in 1972. He was wholeheartedly a “girl dad”.

Tim loved the outdoors. After high school, he worked as a walking postal carrier before becoming an apprentice carpenter, contributing to several notable projects in Petaluma. In 1971, while working for Skylark Nursery, a wholesale nursery in Santa Rosa, he had the opportunity to open his own retail nursery in Petaluma, the Dandylion Nursery. Following its closure in 1984, he became a “horticulture specialist” (as he liked to say). His love of the outdoors led to a deep interest in Native American environmental practices, and he was highly knowledgeable about plants and birds.

He was a charter member of Los Californianos, settler’s descendants organized to preserve the culture and history of Alta California, SIR Branch 58, and he enthusiastically served as a tour docent at Sturgeon’s Mill near Sebastopol. Tim could often be found at Petaluma Coffee and Tea, chatting with friends and making new friends out of complete strangers. He was a past president and a 25-year member of the Petaluma Host Lions Club and had been a longtime active member of the United Church of Christ.

Tim is survived by his wife, Janet; daughters Ann (Mark) and Wendy; sister-in-law Faye Talamantes; brothers-in-law David Murch (Elizabeth) and Dennis Murch (Patricia). He was uncle to Pat Talamantes (Scarlett), Tom Talamantes, Bill Purcell (Michelle), Joy Rich (Mike), Megan Crim (Mike) and Tom Purcell (Katie), Erin Hooper, David Murch (Erika), Keri Chappell (Jim), Scott Murch (Alissa), and Paul Murch (Jennifer), as well as several great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Phil; sister Barbara Purcell; brother-in-law Bill Purcell; and former sister-in-law Ola Talamantes.

A Celebration of Tim’s life will be at 2pm, Thursday, March 5 at Two Rock Valley Presbyterian Church.In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Tim’s memory to one of the following: Two Rock Valley Presbyterian Church, the California Native Plant Society-Milo Baker Chapter (Sonoma County), Sturgeon’s Mill or the charity of your choice.