We lost a dear friend last week. Dr. Jim Talley died at the age of 82, after a season of declining health. It’s hard to put into words how much he meant to me personally—and to all of us in the DivorceCare family.
Jim played a vital role in the early days of DivorceCare. He was a gifted pastor, counselor, and author, but more than that, he had a deep compassion for people who were hurting and a desire to see marriages reconciled.
After agreeing to appear in the very first DivorceCare videos in 1993, he quickly became one of our strongest advocates. He spread the word about the program to influential pastors across the country, helping jumpstart our growth.
You can still see and hear Jim’s wisdom and warmth across several editions of the DivorceCare videos and in our Before You Divorce program. You’ll enjoy some classic Jim Talley quotes from DivorceCare 1.0 in the excerpt video found above.
I’ll never forget the first time we spoke. I had written to invite him to be interviewed for DivorceCare. One night around 11:00 p.m., as Cheryl and I were getting ready to turn in, the phone rang. I picked it up, and a cheerful voice on the other end said, “I’d love to do the interview!” Then came the quick follow-up: “Oh, this is Jim Talley. I love the idea—it’s such a needed program. Wait, I just looked at the clock. It’s kind of late where you are, isn’t it? Hope you don’t mind the call!”
Jim was calling from Oklahoma City. Even though I was ready to turn out the lights, he was still bubbling with energy and enthusiasm. That late-night call was the beginning of a friendship that lasted for decades.
Even as his health declined, Jim continued doing what he loved most—counseling people with their marriages and relationships. It was his calling, and he never stopped pursuing it.
Very recently, he finished updating his book Too Close Too Soon to address modern dating challenges in the digital age, along with a brand-new companion workbook. They were released on Amazon the day after he died.
In true fashion, he was also hard at work on his next big idea which blended his love of technology and counseling. Working with a developer, he created AI version of ‘Dr. Talley’ that could answer people’s relationship questions. The AI model was trained on his voluminous lifetime of writings, and the answers came from a video avatar that looked and sounded just like him. I beta tested it myself and threw some tough questions at it—but I couldn’t trip up “AI Jim”!
Jim is survived by Joyce, his wife of 62 years, daughter Renee and son Kent, his extended family, and the countless people whose lives were changed through his counseling, his books, and, of course, those impacted through his decades-long involvement with DivorceCare.
Before he died, Jim asked that there be no public funeral service. That was just like him—humble, private, and focused on helping others rather than drawing attention to himself.
We thank God for Jim’s life, his friendship, and his legacy of sharing hope and healing with people suffering because of divorce and separation.
Article Author: Steve Grissom, Founder of DivorceCare
