Moseley Wheeler Tallman

1944 - 2025

The world became both brighter and considerably more interesting on May 6, 1944, when Moseley "Lee" Wheeler Tallman arrived in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Her early years were spent in Charleston, West Virginia, where she developed her lifelong love of people, adventure, and the simple joys of childhood-summer days running barefoot, neighborhood friendships, and the first spark of curiosity that would later take her around the world.

Lee graduated from St. Margaret's in Tappahannock, Virginia, where she honed her lifelong talent for making friends everywhere she went. Not one to stay still for long, she set off for St. Croix and took a job at a travel agency-because if you're going to work, why not do it somewhere with turquoise water?

Eventually, she returned to Charleston, WV and joined AAA, helping travelers navigate the world long before GPS could boss anyone around. But Lee had a way of following her curiosity, which soon led her to Littleton, NH. There, she joined a friend's travel agency and soon found herself woven into the fabric of the town.

Her years there were filled with backyard gardens that burst into color every spring, lively conversations with neighbors, and the comfort of a community that cheered her on when she took her next big leap: opening Compass Rose Travel Agency. It was a chapter of joy, growth, and deep connection-one she remembered with a smile for the rest of her life.

Some of her happiest memories were made spending summers with family in West Chop, Martha's Vineyard. There, with ocean breezes, porch chatter, she made life-long friendships and memories.

Later, she retired to Marshfield, MA where she filled her days with gardening and painting - with her cat Frank by her side. Her gardens were vibrant, lovingly tended works of art. When she wasn't coaxing blooms into perfection, she was painting them. An accomplished watercolorist, Lee captured soft edges, fleeting light, and gentle color with the same grace she brought to her everyday life.

In Marshfield, she spent time with family: her brother, Henry; "SIL", Jill; her nieces; and her great-nieces and nephews. And it truly was a wonderful chapter filled with the contentment of a well-lived life. She passed peacefully on Nov. 20, 2025.

Lee's humor, kindness, and unmistakable sparkle made her the kind of person who turned strangers into friends and friends into family. She navigated life with the same spirit she planned every adventure-with enthusiasm, curiosity, creativity, and just the right amount of mischief.

She will be deeply missed by her sister, Ruth Tallman; her sister-in-law, Jill Tallman; nieces Kirk Ryan, Bess Jenney, Colby Bartro, Kate Mundt, Caroline Masden, along with their husbands and families.

A celebration of life will be held this Spring - when the flowers are in bloom. If desired, donations to honor Lee may be made to Pat Roche Hospice House, c/o Croi Health, 120 Longwater Drive, Norwell, MA. 02061 or to an Animal Shelter of your choice. For an online guestbook, please visit www.mcnamara-sparrell.com