J. Talley Brown, born in Raleigh, NC and raised in St. Mary's County, MD, passed away at home in Wilmington, DE, in the early morning of Tuesday, July 27, 2021. He was 67. After a childhood roaming the woods and streams of Southern Maryland, Talley graduated from Chopticon High School in 1972 and began working for SMECO. Talley served in the Navy from 1976 until his honorable discharge in 1980. Over the next four decades, his carpentry career evolved into custom home building, historic restoration, and the creation of custom live edge furniture. His loved ones lived in homes touched everywhere by his care and skill. In 1990, his dear friends Phil and Janice Batts introduced Talley to the love of his life. Karla and Talley began a deep and abiding partnership, marrying on June 13, 1992. They welcomed two daughters: Rachel in 1994 and Rebecca in 1997. Talley's family—his three best girls—were the light and joy of his life. Becoming a husband and father were his proudest achievements. The family moved to Wilmington in 2008, where Talley and Karla often hosted friends and neighbors in a house filled with music, laughter, and good food. Throughout his life, Talley's most treasured memories were made when spending time with family—whether on summer vacations in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the mountains of New York or at home listening to music over a home-cooked meal. Originally diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in March 2007, he learned in June 2019 that the stage IV cancer had returned. After two successful years on a treatment trial at Johns Hopkins, Talley came home to hospice care in early July 2021. He was grateful to be home and to spend time with loved ones in his final days. Talley is survived by his beloved wife of 29 years, Karla; his daughters, Rachel and Rebecca; his mother, Dorothea (Dotsy) Barber; his sisters, Ann Cheseldine and Jeanne Cave, brother-in-law JD Cave, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews; and a host of dear friends. In honor of his passing, Nichols-Gilmore Funeral Home will host a memorial gathering to share stories and memories at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 where visitation will begin at 4:30 pm at 212 E Justis St., Wilmington DE 19804. The Brown family will host a joyous celebration of Talley's life with music, good food, and friends in St. Mary's County on April 9, 2022. Our family would like to express sincere gratitude for the incredible care given by Dr. Catherine Handy Marshall at Johns Hopkins, and by the nurses and staff of Delaware Hospice. In lieu of flowers, loved ones are encouraged to send donations to Tri State Bird Rescue ( https://tristatebird.org/ ) or a local animal shelter, to honor Talley's love of animals; donations to Delaware Hospice ( https://www.delawarehospice.org/donate/ ) are also encouraged.