James Barber Talman, a resident of Sewickley, PA, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2020, at the age of 103.  He was the son of the late William W. and Ada (Barber) Talman.  He is survived by his son, James Talman Jr. (Jean) of Centennial, CO, and daughter Christine Cohen (Dr. Howard) of Sewickley.  Jim was born in Indian Village, Detroit, on August 10 1916.  He and his brothers William and Thomas attended Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills.  He always said that the most lasting result of his education there was being a gentleman.  In 2012 he attended the first 80th class reunion ever held at Cranbrook with one other surviving classmate.  His marriage to Jean Rutherford took place at Christ Church on the Cranbrook campus in 1939.

  Jim had an early passion for flight.  He got his pilot's license and acquired his first airplane, a 40-hp Aeronca, while in collage.  In 1939 he graduated from the University of Michigan, where he was affiliated with the Sigma Phi fraternity and slept in the same room his father occupied.  Jim earned a degree in aeronautical engineering and immediately began work at North American Aviation in Los Angeles designing and testing the B-25 bomber.  He married Margaret Harris Jones, a fellow employee, in 1944.

  After WWII he designed and built airplane hangers for private planes.  The family subsequently moved to Palm Springs, California, where he began a career in resort management.  He ran Smoke Tree Ranch in the winters and Chevy Chase Inn in Port Townsend, Washington, in the summers.  This gave him ample time to maintain his status as a scratch golfer and to pursue his love of tennis.  

  After retirement Jim lived in Canyon Country, CA and founded the Newhall Tennis Club on his home court where he spent time teaching many children in the area to play.  In later years the focus of his life was playing in senior tennis tournaments, including the national clay court, grass court, indoor and hard court championships on the east and west coasts.  He drove an RV, initially from his home in Southern California, to these tournaments until he was 93, with one-year hiatus to have both knees replaced.  At the age of 92 he was nationally ranked fourth in the singles and seventh in doubles in his age division.  

  After his wife Peggy's death Jim moved to Sewickley to be near his daughter.  He joined the Allegheny Country Club and informed new friends and staff of his determination to live to 100.  His favorite activity during these years was acting as a volunteer coach for the Sewickley Academy girl's tennis team.  He attended every practice and tournament for five years, including driving to Hershey to support the team when they won the state championship.  He showed by example that tennis is a game for life.

  Jim was famous for his warmth, patience, optimism and even temper.  A hug was his favorite form of communication.  He made a point of visiting his loving network of children, grandchildren, Cameron Cohen (Lisa Wise) of Washingtona DC, Matthew Cohen (Margo) of Brooklyn, NY and Victoria Owens (Ben Owens) of Greenwood Village, CO, as well as great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews and their children.  

  A memorial will be held at a future time.  Contributions in memory of Jim may be made to the Cranbrook Schools and sent to Cranbrook Educational Community Development, Dept 77428, PO Box 77000, Detroit, MI 48227.