Jonathan David Talley

Writer, musician and film enthusiast Jonathan Talley of Tulsa died Wednesday (Feb. 4) after a 20-year battle with kidney disease. He inspired thousands of people with his courageous and stubborn optimism, even while enduring three kidney transplants and more than 300 other surgeries or medical procedures. Connected to people across America and on three continents through listserves and social media, Talley's faith was contagious.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled at 2 p.m., Saturday (Feb. 7), at Bethel Baptist Church, 501 Florida Ave., in Anadarko.

Jonathan David Talley was born on Sept. 27, 1978, in Ponca City, Okla., the oldest son among nine children of Jim and Tina Talley of Anadarko. He died at 2:22 a.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 4) in Oklahoma City.

His odyssey began in September 1994, just before his 16th birthday. He was a healthy teenager, interested in aeronautics, the military and science fiction movies. Along with other members of his immediate family, Talley suffered salmonella food poisoning. His dad and siblings recovered in days; Jonathan suffered kidney failure. He received his first transplanted kidney, donated by his older sister, April Talley Williamson of Jacksonville, N.C, in July 1995. While some donated kidneys last 20 years, this one was rejected in two weeks.

In and out of hospitals, fighting for his life, Talley missed the last two years of high school. He fell into despair but emerged with renewed faith.

"I used to feel sorry for myself," Talley told a reporter in 2005, "so much that I went into serious suicidal depression. But not anymore. I have begun to see the never-ending opportunity we have on this planet to encourage other people."

To kids at Oklahoma's Kamp Kidney and friends at school, Jonathan became a source of encouragement. For Kamp Kidney, he served as a counselor for several years and designed publications.

Talley graduated from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha. He lived on campus, was active in college life, became editor of the campus newspaper, performed in theatre and musical productions, played soccer with friends, and graduated magna cum laude in spring 2005.

Just after Christmas in 2005, Talley received his second kidney transplant from his brother, Joel Michael Talley, of Chickasha. He became a patient of the Johns Hopkins Hospital transplant team, who performed many of the hundreds of procedures he would endure. More than 20 doctors at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore worked together to perform his third kidney transplant in 2013, donated in a paired exchange by Talley's brother-in-law, Robert Choate of Frisco, Texas.

During the years between those two transplants, he became friends with Academy Award-winning Oklahoma filmmaker Gray Frederickson. Talley worked with Frederickson on documentary films in Oklahoma.

Talley also enjoyed photography, graphic design, video editing, fantasy fiction, country music, the company of friends and laughter.

"What keeps me going is all the support from family and friends, and my faith in Christ," Talley told the Chickasha Express-Star in a 2005 interview. "Without believing in Him, I wouldn't be able to get up each day. My whole philosophy of life is that God is in control, and while I have little or no control of what happens to me, I still can respond to it well. We all have that choice. When I start to feel down, I stop myself. Feeling sorry for yourself just tends to spiral out of control."

Jonathan was preceded in death by his grandfather Max Talley. He is survived by his parents, Jim and Tina Talley of Anadarko; his sister and brother-in-law Amy and Robert Choate of Frisco, Texas, and their children, Darron, Phoebe, Geoffrey, Eyan, William, Josey and Silas; his sister and brother-in-law April and Luke Williamson of Jacksonville, S.C., and their children Shane, Molly, Ellen, Benjamin and Clara; his brother Joel and sister-in-law Angelina Talley of Chickasha, and their children Emma, Audrey and Collin; his brother James and sister-in-law Erin Talley of Hutchinson, Kan., and their children Adelyn, Corban, Brigdon, Kamden and Sawyer; his brother Justin and sister-in-law Rachel Talley of Norman and their children Tirzah, Rayah, Ahavah and Leeanah; his brother Judah Talley of Sumter, S.C.; and brother Josiah Talley of Wichita; and his sister Anna and brother-in-law Jordan Massey of Frisco, Texas. Jonathan also is survived by his grandparents Bob and Erma Vickers of Sand Springs, Okla., and his grandmother Johnetta Talley of Anadarko. Jonathan also leaves behind 11 aunts and uncles, 16 first cousins and their spouses and children, as well as 25 nieces and nephews by his siblings, and hundreds of friends.

The family will receive visitors at the Steverson Funeral Home Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages gifts to The National Foundation for Transplants (NFT, 5350 Poplar Ave, Suite 430, Memphis TN 38119. Gifts should be identified "In memory of Jonathan Talley). As an option, the family also encourages gifts to "Jonny's Treehouse," a children's ministry project of Southwood Baptist Church in Tulsa (4020 S 102nd East Ave, Tulsa, Okla., 74146). Online condolences may be left for the family at steversonfuneralhome.com.