Edgar Talmus

1930 - 2019

Edgar Paul Talmus

June 11, 1930 - November 11, 2019

Edgar Paul Talmus, "Ed" to his friends, passed away on November 11, 2019 in his Tiburon, California home, surrounded by his loving family and his dog, Coco. He was 89 years old.

Ed was born in Warsaw, Poland where he survived the Holocaust despite facing horrific adversity as a Jewish child. At the age of nine, with the Warsaw ghetto under Nazi control, his mother was forced to drop him off at a Salesian orphanage. Ed lived there as a hidden child separated from his parents for three years. When Ed was twelve, the Nazis discovered that the orphanage clergy was working with the resistance. While Nazis were rounding up the children and arresting the priests Ed escaped, hiding in a church until he was able to contact his parents and reunite with them. After the liberation, Ed's family resided in Europe until 1947, when they departed for the United States and arrived in New York City.

Ed lived life to the fullest in New York for 54 years. It was there he met and married Roberta Gardner (née Beller) and had two children together, Laura and Evie. He was a successful businessman: in the late 50's and 60's he served as Vice President for a major record label; he later became the U.S. importer of Polish textiles and clothing. Ed was an avid tennis player and skier, generous, honest, and possessed uncanny intuition. More important to him than anything were his daughters.

As much as Ed loved New York, he loved being near his children and grandchildren even more. He moved to Tiburon where he spent the last fifteen years of his life, creating a new community there. Ed's intellectual curiosity only grew with age. He was fascinated - albeit at times frustrated - with the domestic and global state of affairs, and read both the American and Polish press on a daily basis. His (strong) opinions on a vast range of topics from politics to sports to the stock market were sought and respected by everyone who knew and loved him. While living in Tiburon, Ed honed his skills in bridge, playing multiple times a week with his favorite partners. He loved his Master Points!

Ed was predeceased in life by his father, Fred Talmus, his mother, Lili Talmus (née Pikelny), and his granddaughter, Lili Rachel Smith. He is survived by his children, Evie Talmus (Alan Pomerantz), Laura Talmus (Averell "Ace" Smith), and his grandchildren, Jake Schlackman and Abram Smith (Aine Minihane).

In lieu of flowers, donations are gratefully accepted to Beyond Differences, a non-profit organization that was founded in memory of his late granddaughter, or, the Edgar P. Talmus Endowment Fund for Holocaust Education at Jewish Family and Children's Services. A life celebration open to his friends and loved ones is planned for Saturday, December 14 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm PST at the Belvedere Community Center, 450 San Rafael Avenue in Belvedere.