Wayne Eldon Talburt, 62

 

Funeral services for Wayne Eldon Talburt, 62, of Sycamore, will be held at 1 p.m. today, Dec. 1, 2021, at First Freewill Baptist Church, 1814 County Road 6460 in West Plains. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until service time at the church. Mr. Talburt died Nov. 26 at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield.  

He was born Feb. 14, 1959, in Mountain View, the son of Amos and Lavada Dixon Talburt. On Aug. 11, 1992, he married Ramona Cline. 

Mr. Talburt graduated from Willow Springs High School in 1977. He earned a Bachelor of Science from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout 1981 with a major in criminal justice, corrections and sociology; in 1993, he earned a master’s degree in public administration from Missouri State University in Springfield. 

He worked for the Missouri State Water Patrol from January 1981 until his retirement with the rank of lieutenant. During his public service, he had several teaching experiences, including as a MSWP dive team instructor, and also with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, MSWP Academy, Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy, Missouri State Conservation Department Academy and the St. Charles Police Academy. 

His professional certifications included as a Peace Officer’s Standards and Training (POST) certified generalist instructor, F.B.I. Law Enforcement instructor development, Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Master Scuba Diver instructor, first responder instructor, Defensive Tactics and Physical Fitness specialist instructor. He also held eight course certifications for FEMA and Homeland Security. 

His honors and awards included the National Silver Finn Award (highest award a dive team can win internationally), Missouri Peace Officers Association Officer of the Year, Missouri State Water Patrol Meritorious Service Citation and Colonel’s Commendation for putting his life in perilous danger, the MSHP Lifesaving Award, State Employee of the Month Award, National Association of Boating Law Administrators State Officer of the Year, Governor’s Achievement Award, Red Cross Volunteer of the Year, and the 1980 National Man of the Year Award. 

Mr. Talburt served on the College of the Ozarks Associates Board from 2015 until the time of his death. He was also a member of the MSWP Underwater Recovery Team for 26 years, serving the last 16 of those years as supervisor. He also served on the Dora School Board from 2000 to 2006.  

Mr. Talburt attended Dora Family Life Church and was a strong man of faith; Jesus Christ was most important to him. He raised his boys to be godly men. He mowed yards and took care of local widows. 

He was the backbone of his family; he loved them devotedly, especially his wife, Ramona. He also loved his water patrol brothers as if they were family. 

He enjoyed reading, diving and spending time with his family, and he loved taking in the beauty of the Ozarks. 

Mr. Talburt believed diving was what God created him to do to provide comfort and closure to surviving families by recovering and praying over the body of their loved ones. He saw his job as a witness for Christ. Because of his dedication to having God in his job, Wayne was referred throughout the nation for law enforcement advice, and his dive team was one of three in the nation to be called upon by Homeland Security in times of disaster.  

He is survived by his wife, Ramona Talburt, of the family home; three children, Grant Talburt and wife Clancy of West Plains, Seth Talburt and wife Kirsten of Ava, and Susan Howard and husband Ronnie of Dora; his mother, Lavada Talburt of West Plains; his father-in-law, Danny Cline of West Plains; two brothers, Hal Talburt of West Plains and Rad Talburt and wife Joanne of Doniphan; brother-in-law Scott Cline and wife Tina; sister-in-law Monica Tate and husband Brandon; and several nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly, Elissa Tate, Madison Cline, Caleb Cline, Shayne Talburt and wife Stephanie, and Bryce Talburt and wife Shelby.  

He was preceded in death by his father, Amos; his sister, Sondra Talburt; and his mother-in-law Donna Cline.

Burial will be at Huddleston Cemetery of Royal Oak, near Thomasville. 

Memorial contributions may be made to College of the Ozarks and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 W. Main St., West Plains, MO 65775.Online condolences may be expressed at robertsondrago.com.

Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, West Plains, directors.

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423