Joseph Philip Talbo's Obituary
Joseph P. Talbo was born on May 26, 1935, to Tranquilino Rocha Talbo and Angela Acoba Castillo, in Puhi on the Island of Kauai, Hawaii. Following high school graduation, he served one tour of duty in the US Army and was a Veteran of the Korean War. He returned to Kauai and worked for the telephone company, and he fondly talked about being a sound technician on the movie "South Pacific," filmed on his home island. He left Hawaii to pursue his work in aerospace communications in Wake Island with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He volunteered for Civilian Combat duty in Viet Nam where he was assigned to do research and development of climate controlled environments for portable communications equipment and night vision equipment with the US Army Electronics Command. He was awarded the Medal for Civilian Service from the Secretary of the Army, and received a Certificate from US Army Electronics Command for Civilian Service in Combat Zones in Vietnam.
After Vietnam he continued working with USAECOM in Okinawa where he met and married Helen Garcia Talbo in 1970. Mom and Dad settled in Lakewood, WA in 1975 and Dad resumed working with FAA. Dad had a long career with the FAA at SeaTac Airport and Boeing Tower as an radio communications specialist and retired as an off-site manager. His federal service career was a total of 37 years upon retiring. After retiring, he enjoyed being a HAM radio operator and watching the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks games on TV, designing and constructing his own electronic equipment (HAM antennas, home-built computers systems, experimenting with cameras and wireless communications).
For over 14 years he bravely fought bladder and lung cancer, diabetes. He is survived by his spouse, Helen and his children Mary & Phil Mauck, Laurie & Eric Wildt and their sons Michael and Max, and Ellen Talbo. He leaves behind his brother Andy and his wife, Nancy, and sister Valentina Catabagan.
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