Crowds give emotional farewell to Houston County Sheriff Talton during funeral procession

Susi Ortiz was among those who lined a Warner Robins roadside Tuesday afternoon to pay their respects to the late Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton.

A hearse carrying his body was escorted from McCullough Funeral home to Southside Baptist Church for the visitation Tuesday and funeral Wednesday.

The escort and procession route included a stretch of Carl Vinson Parkway that passed in front of a building named after Talton, which housed his office where he served as sheriff for nearly 52 years.

“I’m going to cry,” said Ortiz, wiping away tears. “Just knowing the power he had and how big a person he was in the community, yet he was very humble.

“He would talk to you as a person, give you a hug or shake your hand. He earned a lot of people’s respect. He definitely will be missed.”

Ortiz, a county tax appraiser, drove up from the Perry office, where she works, to join those along the road. She first knew Talton when she worked as a sheriff’s deputy in the detention center.

The escort and procession

The procession also passed in front of the dental office of Cully Talton, one of the late sheriff’s sons. The dental office staff, along with other well wishers, stood outside to show their love and support. Cully Talton’s bulldog, Peggy, named after his late mom, was on a leash with them.

“We’re all real close to him (Cully) and supported his father,” said Hilda Rozier, the office manager for the dental office for the last 38 years. “I’ve known Big Daddy for years.”

“Big Daddy” is a nickname for Talton, a self-made lawman who became the nation’s longest serving sheriff. He died peacefully Saturday at his home surrounded by his family. He was 92.

Sheriff’s deputies formed a line to honor Talton as the procession passed by.

“He’s been great to work for and I’ve been here 23 years,” said Houston County sheriff’s Lt. Scott Odom.

Linda Hanks pushed her wheeled walker with a seat along the sidewalk to get a closer view.

“He was just a great Houston County sheriff, just an amazing friend to the community, always had positive things to say and always had a smile,” said Hanks, who’s retired from McCullough Funeral Home and got to know Talton over the years.

“He just left footprints on so many people’s hearts, and how can you not like somebody like that?” she asked.

The escort included a procession of multiple patrol cars with sirens and lights, motorcycles and several vehicles transporting Talton’s large family. Firefighters raised a large American flag in the road near the Sheriff H. Cullen Talton Jr. Building.

At the visitation

At the visitation afterward, a combined honor guard from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and Warner Robins Police Department lined an entrance way into the sanctuary to honor the late sheriff’s family as they were escorted in.

The family watched a slideshow of photos of Talton over the years as people began to line up for the visitation. Well wishers hugged family members, offered sympathies and shared stories about Talton.

“We’ll certainly all miss him terribly,” said Houston County Superior Court Judge Edward D. Lukemire. “He’s sort of synonymous with law enforcement in this county.

“He was a special man,” Lukemire said.

Capt. Dan Maddock of the Houston County Sheriff’s Reserve Unit, and Jerry Lancaster, a fellow reserve deputy and former Pulaski County sheriff, said Talton was a friend and a great leader who knew how to listen to people.

Brothers Gary and Greg Chapman, whose grandfather retired as the Houston County sheriff in 1964 after 38 years with the department, including 22 at the helm, offered praise of Talton and his family.

“He represented Houston County very well,” Gary Chapman noted.

At the funeral home

Earlier, the late sheriff lay in state in an open maple casket with a rose tan interior that was draped with an American flag at McCullough Funeral Home.

Although the viewing officially started at 11 a.m. Tuesday, some people came by the previous night and earlier that morning to pay their respects.

Tommy and Tami Wood of Bonaire held hands as they stood by the casket.

Tommy remembered Talton for “how fine he was for the community” and how Talton was “willing, as always, to assist anybody any way he could.”

“I’ve always been very proud of his department,” Wood said.

Jonathan Wallace came to honor Cullen Talton on behalf of American Legion Post 172 in Warner Robins.

The post recognizes the service of military, fire, EMS and law enforcement.

“We’re all one big family,” said Wallace, a retired police canine trainer at Robins Air Force Base. Canines he worked with had trained with Houston and Dooly sheriff’s canines.

Hunter Nash, a Houston County sheriff’s communications deputy at the E-911 center, also came to the viewing.

“The sheriff was a great friend to my family for many years,” said Nash, whose grandfather, Jack Nash, has been friends with Talton for 40 years.

Hunter Nash noted that he and Talton share the same birth date of Oct. 16. At age 25, he and the late sheriff were 67 years apart.

“I felt a sense of pride working under that legacy, the longest serving sheriff in the nation,” Nash said. “We are going to miss him.”

Flags were flown at half-staff across Houston County, as well as at the Georgia state capitol per Gov. Brian Kemp’s directive.

This story was originally published October 22, 2024 at 7:37 PM.