Talmach Nathaniel White

Talmach Nathaniel White (Tal) was born in Harlem, New York on Saturday, November 28,1953, the third child born to Nathaniel and Corine White. He spent his early years in Brooklyn, NY where he attended the original Boys High School. 

Talmach went on to study at Hampton University where he attained his bachelor's degree in English. Although he majored in English, everyone assumed that he was a Drama Major because he preformed in so many productions on campus. While there he co-created and acted in a comedic daily soap opera called "It's a Bett" which depicted a fictional middle-class black family. It became known as "Lunch Box Theater" and students from all across the campus would go during their lunch break on Wednesdays to find out the latest Bett family antics. 

Following graduation. Talmach moved to Florida to begin his career teaching high school English. After a few years of impacting the Florida School System he decided to relocate to the Washington, DC area, where he continued to educate our youth, as well as indulge himself into his first love, The Performing Arts. 

The Washington Metropolitan Area allowed Talmach to do just that, immerse himself in things theatrical. He performed as a charter member for the African-American Collective Theater (ACT). A few plays that he worked on and preformed in were "Auld Lang Syne," "Damage Control,"  "Skin and Bone," "And.....," " Morning Wood," and the most recent one was " The IMPERIAL We." His work with ACT was just one component of his intense and vicarious career. He portrayed title roles in musicals such as " Purlie" and "The Wiz," as well as Baroka in Wole Soyinka's " The Lion in the Jewel." In 2003 theatregoers enjoyed the dual pleasure of seeing him perform in a pair of plays by August Wilson as Troy in "Fences" and as Seth Holley in Joe Turner's "Come and Gone." Beyond his work onstage, he directed "For Colored Girls....." starring Dawn Lewis in Miami, Florida where he also directed "The Boys in the Band."

Hand in hand with the allure of Washington's Art District, he worked at several high schools in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. His last tenure was at Suitland High School in Suitland, Maryland as an English teacher. Knowingly he couldn't just teach English, he had to share his love of the theatre with them as a committed and spirited teacher who challenged them to surpass the limits, they had placed on themselves. He was unrelenting in his pursuit of excellence for his students and for those around him. 

Tal, as he was affectionately known, loved the Arts which was apparent in every facet of his life. If you know him, then you had no choice but to be introduced to his innate obsession with it. If he wasn't showcasing his plethora of award-winning novels and plays, he was definitely talking about them, He was well versed and traveled extensively, collecting artifacts, books, and historical facts along the way. 

Even his unique artwork collection created a dialogue, which was sole intent. Tal often liked to have spirited conversations about the true purpose of his life and God, and how he could have a closer relationship with Him. He definitely desired to go to heaven and wanted to know he needed to do to get there. To that end, he would open conversations about the creative nature of our existence and provoke an individual to explore their own contributions to family and the world. He loved to debate and felt comfortable with he banter of its unraveling. 

Two of his other loves were food and dogs. Talmach was a great cook of complex and exotic dishes, not forgetting his Dom Perignon and Perrier water. His world would not be compete without his pooches. Reminiscing about Dollie, Winter, Bella, and Malcolm to name few, brought great happiness to his life, Oh by the way, let's not forget his "GQ" look, because Talmach loved to dress. Whether formal or casual his exquisite wardrobe spoke for itself!

Tal never met a stranger, and he was dramatic on and off stage! Anyone who met him was immediately captivated by his vivacious personality, causing him to be truly unforgettable. He was loving, compassionate, generous, and empathic to the people around him which were just some of his shining characteristics. he had no children of his own; however, he became a stand in father figure and uncle to children in his family and to those of friends. He was a foster parent and a mentor to several, old and young. 

He retired from teaching in 2015 when signs of illness became obvious. He then focused on writing and had dreams of documenting the rich history of the " White Family." He was our family historian. In 2019, Talmach relocated to Santee, South Carolina, where he resided at the Magnolias of Santee until his death. 

Talmach is survived by his eldest sister, Vinnie Blanchard and his youngest brother, Ernest White. Both his parents, Nathaniel and Corine White; his oldest sisters, Leola White Matthews and Christine Fogg preceded him in death. Talmach is also survived by seven nieces and four nephews; an ever-growing list of great nieces and great nephews, his Foster sons, family, and friends, who will miss him very much.

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