Andres Talts' Obituary
Andres Talts b. 1942-d.2020
Born in 1942 in Tallinn Estonia to Herbert and Vaike Talts, Andy was their first son and an only child until he was 21 years old (when his brother Karl was born). The pre-Karl Talts family fled Estonia in 1944. Vaike tells the story of fleeing Estonia on a ship while under fire from invading Russian soldiers. (Russia took over Estonia in World War II, and controlled the country until 1991.) The family landed in Nazi Germany as the United States began to see victory in its grasp. They spent five years there, working in a displaced persons camp and then for the USO once the Americans had achieved victory.
In 1949, the Talts family received a sponsorship to immigrate to the United States, first landing in North Carolina and then moving to New York City where they settled in Flushing, NY. Andy grew up in a multicultural city environment. He was active in an Estonian fraternity during this time.
He was encouraged to achieve academically, and he graduated high school at the age of 15 and then enrolled in the City College of New York. His original aspiration was to be a doctor. Midway through college he opted to leave and serve his obligatory military service with his cousin Juhan. It was then that he met Barbara Jean Latham, or Jeanne, in Maryland. Jeanne is one of nine children, and they grew up in a rural environment, very different from Andy’s experience. Andy admired Jeanne’s legs, and she loved his broad shoulders. For some reason, his nickname for her was “Fred.”
They dated for about 2 years while Jeanne was working at Aberdeen Proving Ground. They got engaged and Andy moved back to New York to finish his college degree. His brother Karl was born during this time; they are 21 years apart. During one visit to Maryland, Andy spontaneously suggested that they get married on Saturday. They were married in a small ceremony in Maryland, though they hid that fact from Andy’s parents. After Jeanne’s blue 1955 Chevrolet was lovingly decorated by her family, they honeymooned locally at the Williamsburg Inn. (The Williamsburg Inn was also the site of their 30th anniversary celebration—surrounded by family and multiple Manhattans.)
Andy went back to New York and finished his degree, achieving a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He then moved to Maryland to be with his new wife.
As young marrieds, Andy and Jeanne enjoyed water skiing, fishing and boating in the Chesapeake and its tributaries, where they were sometimes joined by Jeanne’s dad William and other members of her family. They often gathered for crab feasts and Sunday dinners with the Latham family, where Jeanne’s mom Ann often cooked huge meals (six chickens!) for their extended family.
In 1965, Jeanne gave birth to their first daughter, Vaike Ann. A mere sixteen months later, they welcomed Julia Kathleen. The small family moved to Arnold, Md., where they purchased their first home. At this time, Andy was teaching at the community college, while Jeanne stayed at home with the girls and then began working part-time. After achieving his Master’s degree in Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, Andy continued his work with the local government and then moved into federal service. During his work, he traveled across the country and internationally, becoming known as an expert in environmental cleanup and mitigation. Jeanne, too, worked for the Federal government during this time, but took some time off to raise a baby boy; John Andrew was born in 1972. During their young family life together, they had two dogs: Sandy and Sandy II, both white cockapoos.
While raising children and working full-time, Andy and Jeanne were able to enjoy many fun family outings to the beach and to the mountains, including a once-in-a-lifetime tour of the western part of the U.S., flying to Montana and then driving south through Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada before flying back home. They also worked hard around the house, including painting, building a deck, installing a vegetable garden and even dabbling in home brewing. But their life really centered on their family, with many hours spent watching sports and other activities to support their kids. Somewhere along the way they inherited a cat, Waldo, who would get regular shampoos with Prell.
Andy and Jeanne spent nearly 30 years working in Maryland and Washington DC, before partaking of an “early out” retirement offer, Andy when he was 53. Jeanne retired a couple of years later. Retirement for Andy and Jeanne prompted them to move to Delaware, where they made new friends and began to play golf regularly. There were occasional cruises (Bahamas, Bermuda, Alaska) and some travel across the U.S. but their time eventually began to revolve around their growing family. Kathy married Robert Alvin Edler, Jr. in 1987, and they set up a homestead in Chestertown, Md., where they had two children, Robert Alvin Edler III (Robbie) in 1992 and Joseph Claude Edler in 1995. After Vaike married Thomas Michael O’Grady (Tom) in 1991; they moved to Florida and had two children as well. John Thomas O’Grady was born in 1997 and Janna Grace O’Grady arrived in 1999. Andy and Jeanne often traveled to Florida to visit, and ended up moving there for a second retirement in 2003.
In 2005, their son John married Michelle Lynn Jewell, and the whole family gathered in Delaware to celebrate. John and Michelle eventually moved to Maryland, where they had two children, Addison Riley Talts in 2009, and Lauren McKenna Talts in 2010.
During the next ten years, the extended Talts family—including brother Karl and his wife and children—often gathered together to celebrate events big and small. Some memorable trips include spending the New Year’s holiday and a May 2013 50th anniversary celebration in Ocean City, Md. They also gathered in Florida, Texas, and North and South Carolina. A highlight of Andy’s life was a trip to his home country of Estonia with his son John and his brother Karl.
Besides travel and golf, Andy often enjoyed reading and watching the news, and sometimes spent time debating philosophical or political topics with friends and family. He also took delight in really dumb movies (George of the Jungle) as well as British and Canadian mystery and adventure series on television. In recent years, he loved going to church and then meeting friends afterward at the Dip-a-Dee donut shop, where the owners would set aside special orders for Andy and Jeanne. His greatest love was to spend time at home with his wife, family and good friends, having a good meal, good conversation, and just being together.
Rest in peace, Andy, Dad and Grandad. We love you.
Arrangements are entrusted to Page-Theus Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Leesburg, FL
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