Houston County says goodbye to Cullen Talton, the nation’s longest serving sheriff

The Houston County community gathered Wednesday to celebrate the life, legacy and memory of the nation’s longest serving sheriff, their own native son Cullen Talton.

Talton, 92, died Saturday at his home surrounded by his family just three days after his birthday — and just less than three months from retirement at the year’s end.

The self-made lawman who rarely carried a gun or a badge served nearly 52 years as sheriff.

“Sheriff Talton didn’t need a badge or gun to be respected or loved for the way he was,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told those assembled at Talton’s funeral at Southside Baptist Church in Warner Robins. “His people knew exactly what he stood for and they also knew he was a trustworthy man.

“And I experienced this first hand. When he gave you his word, you could count on it. He was going to stick by it and he wouldn’t change, no matter how much pressure he got,” Kemp said.

Kemp said Talton’s character was part of the reason he was elected to 13 terms.

Paying last respects

Capable of seating about 2,200 people, the church was nearly full for the funeral. Most of the floor seats and more than half of the stadium seats were filled with family and friends, law enforcement personnel, elected officials, county employees and community members.

More than half of the floor seating was filled with law enforcement personnel, including men and women from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and more than 40 sheriffs from around the state.

Terry Norris, executive director for Georgia Sheriffs’ Association and Talton’s friend, recalled how a crowd would always gather around Talton to glean wisdom at association meetings.

With the help of the community and sheriff’s office, Talton was credited with raising over $1.5 million over 25 years through golf tournaments for the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes.

“He was a big supporter of these children,” Norris said. “He was a leader in the organization.”

Houston County sheriff’s Capt. Matt Moulton said he learned something new recently about Talton.

“In my eyes, he hung the moon and the stars and everything in between, but he wasn’t perfect,” Moulton said.

He asked those present to forgive Talton of those imperfections and to think about what he did for his family, his department and the community.

“Sheriff Talton will never leave the Houston County Sheriff’s Office because he will reside in my heart and the men and women in blue that you see from front to back here,” said Moulton. “He will never leave the Houston County Sheriff’s Office.

“Sheriff, we love you,” said Moulton to the applause of the audience.

Moulton, who was endorsed by Talton to succeed him, is running against Arthur Lee Harris, who attended the funeral, in the Nov. 5 election.

Ellis Wood talked about the legacies his friend Talton left for his family, the community and law enforcement.

“Although these legacies and memories will remain in our hearts and our lives forever, his absence also leaves a great void with all of us that can only be filled by these memories and by us sharing the faith in God that he shared with so many of us,” Wood said.

Another friend, Jerome Stephens, remembered how Talton let him bring his Sunday school class to the sheriff’s office to take them through the process from arrest to court and what a positive impact that experience had on most of the class.

Stephens also noted that Talton had an open-door policy for people in the community.

“He had a saying, ‘Come to see me,’ “ Stephens said.

In a statement read out loud during the service, former chief deputy and former lawmaker Willie Talton, no relation, said Cullen Talton taught him much.

“We have lots of memories that only he and I will share together ... I love him dearly and will truly miss my dear friend,” the statement reads in part.

‘The most important day’

With all that Talton accomplished, “the most important day” of his life was when he believed in Jesus Christ on April 5, 2023, noted Jim Perdue, pastor of Second Baptist Church.

“The greatest thing we can do in this life is trust Jesus Christ for salvation,” Perdue said. “No matter how good we are, no matter what our service may be, no matter our record, in the end we stand before God as those who are desperately in need of forgiveness, redemption and salvation.”

Jerry Walls, pastor emeritus at Southside Baptist Church, said he and a few others got calls from Talton early in the morning on that day in Talton’s life. The 2:30 a.m. call to Walls went to voicemail.

“ ‘Preacher, this is the sheriff.’ But there was something different about his voice,” Walls said recalling the voicemail. “He said, ‘I just wanted you to know I found the Lord.’ “

Walls said he met later with Talton and said that he understood his decision.

“I know without doubt the one thing the sheriff would want is he would want you to know Jesus is your Lord and Savior,” Walls said.

The about 90-minute service included a final salute, the singing of gospel songs, including “Beulah Land,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “Celebrate Me Home,” an end of watch call, and the playing of a bagpipe.

The service was livestreamed on the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page.

Talton was laid to rest in a private burial at Bonaire Cemetery.

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