Allen R. Talley

**  TO VIEW VIDEO TRIBUTE, CLICK LINK ABOVE  **Allen R. Talley, age 80, formerly of Opal and Faith, died Sunday October 5, 2014, surrounded by his loving family, at the Country Place Senior Living Center in Belle Fourche. Services are scheduled for Monday, Oct. 13 at 2 PM at the First Wesleyan Church in Sturgis, with Pastors Harold Delbridge and Sam Cowles officiating. Interment will be in Bear Butte Cemetery, Sturgis. A memorial has been established.Visitation will be held 1 to 7 pm Sunday, October 12th, at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Allen Raymond Talley was born Jan. 20, 1934 to Harvey and Ida Mae (Scheeler) Talley at their ranch near Avance, Meade Co., SD.   He grew up on the Talley ranch with 13 brothers and sisters and at an early age began his love for ranch life and livestock. He attended the Howell rural school and later earned his G.E.D.    He married the love of his life, Ellen Palmer on August 8, 1953 in Sturgis and they began their life together on the “Cow Camp” of the Talley Ranch. In 1958 they moved 3 miles south to be closer to school. They raised their family of 1 son, Rolis and 3 daughters, Sharon, Reena and Nancy there and were active in the Opal Community.   Al loved neighboring and helping his ranch friends with brandings, working the cattle and sheep and any social event taking place. He will be remembered as an easy going, loving man. He loved his horses and riding, as well as Hereford cattle, sheep and dog. Allen and Ellen loved to take in the area dances. This led to his helping to building the Opal Hall and serve on the hall board. He was an avid boater and fisherman and a member of the Black Hills Hillbilly’s Camping Club. He was a member of the Opal Volunteer Fire Department.      After they sold the ranch in 1990, they lived in Whitewood for a time and then moved to Julesburg, CO where they managed a motel until 2003. They then moved to Faith to manage the Prairie Vista Inn for a time, continuing to live in Faith until 2010 when they moved to the Belle Fourche Country Place Senior Living Center.      Grateful for sharing his life are his wife of 61 years, Ellen of Belle Fourche; daughters, Sharon Priest of Dell Rapids, SD, Reena (Dave) Veit of Buffalo, WY and Nancy (Lynn) Miller of Mud Butte, SD; daughter in law, Jan Talley of Pierre, SD; and sister, Thelma Healey, Rapid City, SD; sisters in law, Edie Talley, of Rapid City, SD and Arlene Beebe, Diamondville, WY 8 grandchildren, Regan (Levi) Kling, Danielle Priest, David A. (Brianne) Veit, Grant (Trish) Veit, Chancy (Jordan) Miller, Taylor, Shayna and Katy Miller as well as 6 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.      He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Rolis; and 7 brothers, Clayton, Maurice, Rolin, Roland, Robert, Don and Harvey, 5 sisters, Irene Peterson, Ione Parks, Alice Fairbanks, Evelyn Scheulke and Marjorie Shoun-Gregson.