Elizabeth C. Talley (Betty), 84, of Wilmington, Delaware, passed away peacefully at home on October 31, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.
Born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Betty was a 1959 graduate of P.S. duPont High School. She later attended the University of Delaware and Goldey-Beacom College. In 1963, she married her beloved husband, Tom Talley, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington. Together they shared 62 devoted years of marriage, built on faith, love, and commitment to one another. During the many years Tom traveled for work, Betty faithfully “held down the fort,” creating a warm and loving home for her family. In addition to the joy she found in being a devoted wife, one of her greatest joys was being a mother, pouring her heart into caring for her children every day. She and Tom shared small daily rituals that brought them joy, including their morning word jumblers, a playful way to start each day together.
Betty worked briefly as a secretary for The DuPont Company before dedicating herself to raising her family. Later, she returned to the workforce with McIntyre Associates in fundraising and continued that work alongside Tom McFalls for the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame, located at Frawley Stadium.
Being a mother was Betty’s greatest joy. She poured her heart into caring for her family — working in the school office, serving as a homeroom mother, helping with homework, and always offering a comforting back rub or gentle words of encouragement. Loving, patient, and endlessly giving, she created a home filled with warmth, support, and unconditional love. Her children always knew she was there — steady, dependable, and deeply devoted.
A lifelong Philadelphia Phillies “phan,” Betty could often be found cheering late into the night for her team, celebrating every win with quiet joy and devotion.
Betty was committed to living a healthy lifestyle. In addition to her daily exercise, she was a 30-year member of Wellness Plus Delaware, where she loved learning about using food as medicine and deeply valued the friendships within her cherished wellness community. She especially loved cooking nourishing vegan meals for her husband, delighting in watching him enjoy every bite, and her blueberry tofu cheesecake was a favorite treat for the whole family.
Throughout her life, Betty gave selflessly, generously and freely of her time and talents. She had a heart for helping people in need — knitting hats for seamen coming into port of Wilmington, mentoring children, visiting those unable to attend church, and always offering a compassionate listening ear.
Betty was a longtime and active member of Presbyterian Church of the Covenant and Preschool, where she sang in the choir, played in the bell choir, and tended lovingly to the church gardens. She considered her church family her own extended family, and her nearly 50 years of membership were filled with devotion, service, and fellowship. She found pure joy with her hands in the soil, pulling weeds and nurturing flowers both at church and at home. Her creativity and vision helped inspire the name “Can Do Playground,” an inclusive play space for children of all abilities located in Alapocas Park, Wilmington.
She was known for her childlike wonder and awe over the little things in life. Her signature shoulders rising to her ears, her bright smile, and her twinkling blue eyes reflected a joy that was contagious. She loved hummingbirds and goldfinches, delighting in their visits and eagerly awaiting their return each year.
Betty loved her neighborhood “family” and the deep friendships that grew from nearly 50 years of walks, conversations, and shared care. She often stopped along her walks to visit and catch up, and she found great joy in seeing familiar faces while tending to her garden out front.
She cherished time spent with her granddaughters and took immense joy in seeing them become loving mothers to her beautiful great-grandchildren. Some of her happiest moments were spent with them at the family’s beach house in Ocean City, New Jersey, where countless memories were made. She also loved printing and displaying photos of her family, filling every nook and cranny of her home with their faces so she could feel surrounded by those she held most dear.
Above all, Betty will be remembered for her generous spirit, steadfast faith, childlike wonder, and the quiet, genuine way she so lovingly cared for others. Her love, faith, and joy in life — from family to friends, garden to church, and every hummingbird in between — will continue to bloom in all who knew her.
Betty is survived by her husband of 62 years, Tom Talley, of Wilmington, Delaware; her sister Barbara (Bruce) Dittmar, also of Wilmington; her son Kevin (Kim) Talley, of Newark, Delaware; her daughter Pam (Chris) Williams, of Dunkirk, Maryland; granddaughters Kristin (Josh) Bennett, of Federal Way, Washington, and Morgan (Anton) Becker, of Great Falls, Montana; three nephews; and three great-grandchildren.
The family would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the nurses, aides, and staff of Compassionate Care Hospice and Cornerstone Health Partners for their gentle and loving care during the final stage of Betty’s life.
A memorial service for Betty will take place at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant and Preschool, 503 Duncan Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, on January 17, 2026, at 11am with a reception to follow. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Betty’s memory to The Food Bank of Delaware (www.fbd.org) or Emmanuel Dining Room (www.ministryofcaring.org), organizations close to her heart.
