05/05/06

Betty Talburt: Charlotte's one of a kind

Not everyone can be a Betty Talburt, but the world would likely be a better place if they could.

Talburt's is not a name that shows up on our pages every day. She has never run for public office or had a movie made about her life. She hasn't even lived in Charlotte County that long, moving here about five years ago. But anyone who knows this lady, knows how special she is.

As we write this, Talburt is clinging to a life that cancer will end all too soon. The Harbor Heights resident is dealing with her death much as she did life -- exhausting every waking moment to try to make a difference while she still can.

According to a neighbor and good friend, Talburt had no idea just three weeks ago that she was even sick. She had some aches and pains and went to the doctor. She was told that cancer had spread throughout her body and would soon shut off her esophagus. She had two choices. Use a feeding tube and chemo to prolong her life, or go home and wait.

She went home.

Just Tuesday of this week she was still telling people what to do and how to do it, reminding them she didn't have much time left to get things done. And believe us, Betty Talburt has a lot to get done.

She sold her travel agency in Miami at the age of 79 and began to look for a new home. She found it here in Charlotte County -- a place she said reminded her of Miami just after World War II.

She didn't move here to just retire. Soon after her arrival, a phosphate mining accident spoiled the Peace River for days and she wanted to do something about that. She got active in campaigning against phosphate mining and in the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary program.

One day she noticed bugs on her new Mexican milkweed plants and knocked them off. When she found out they were Monarch butterflies-to-be, she felt terrible. She was so guilty that she began a Butterfly Society to teach people about butterflies and work to protect their environment. She was also instrumental in beautifying the medians in Harbor Heights; the Keep Charlotte Beautiful campaign; began her community's own version of the Welcome Wagon program; worked in the Charlotte Harbor Audubon Society and was active in the Babcock Preservation Partnership.

Recently, she was named executive secretary of Republicans for the Environment, a statewide organization. She joined the group because she said she was tired of people thinking only Democrats cared about the environment. She said there are "green elephants."

Betty Talburt won't be with us nearly long enough to accomplish so many things she envisioned. But, we can take solace in how much she did accomplish and the example she set for others.

We need more Betty Talburts in this world.