Baw Tallman crossed the bar April 23, peacefully at home after a valiant battle with cancer. He was 61.
A recent resident of Havelock, North Carolina, Baw was previously a lifelong resident of Rumson.
Baw was born Jan. 4, 1957. He attended The Rumson Countr y Day School and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, graduating in 1976. He then attended Brookdale Community College.
Following his education, Baw worked for his family’s business, Iron Bound Box and Lumber, in Newark. Subsequently, he was employed by Lockwood Boat Works in South Amboy and for the last 19 years at Express Marine, Inc. in Camden.
Baw’s passions in life included blue water sailboat racing, ice boating, boat model building, half-hull carving, original bird house construction, trap and skeet competitions, long distance cycling, art collecting, boating and entertaining his family and friends with fascinating stories about his activities and life experience.
His greatest joy was spending time and laughs with family and friends at home or on the water. He dearly loved his family, especially all his nieces and nephews. Every person Baw met was a new friend made. He was a consummate gentleman and his innate kindness, humor and sincere interest in other people won him new friends wherever he went. He kept lifelong childhood friends dear and was considered by many fortunate people to be their very closest friend.
Baw had an enduring love of the water and especially the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers that surround Rumson. He spent the early part of his life competing in sailboat races and tuning rigs all along the Eastern Seaboard. In later years he spent many days and nights traveling or rafting up with friends on his powerboat, Trumbull VII. He loved joking with his sailing friends that, with the purchase of Trumbull VII, he had gone to the “dark side of boating” – a comment accompanied by his quintessential booming laugh.
Baw was a proud member of the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat and Yacht Club. He could be found out on the ice with his restored Arrow ice boat, telling stories and helping others with their boats. He was especially proud to have contributed his expertise in splicing to the restoration of the Rocket Ice Yacht.
Baw is predeceased by his parents, Foster Tallman and Susan Tallman (neé LaBaw). He is survived by his wife, Deborah J. Tallman (neé Santo Salvo); his brother, Foster Tallman; and sisters, Elizabeth Ham and Deborah B. Tallman; his brothers-in-law, Tom Santo Salvo (Evelyn) and John Santo Salvo (Elizabeth); and his eight nieces and nephews and many beloved cousins and friends.
A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. June 1 at the Monmouth Boat Club, 31 Union St., Red Bank.
