Joe Talamantez, 87, of Beaumont, died Tuesday, December 21, 2010, at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth in Beaumont.

Born September 1, 1923, in San Antonio, to Inez Martinez and Antonio Talamantez, Joe had been a lifelong resident of the Beaumont area and was a   retired operator with Gulf Oil.  He was a United States Army veteran having served in World War II.

Survivors include his wife, Rosalie Rizzotto Talamantez of Beaumont; sons, Rocky Talamantez of Port Arthur and Edward Orozco and his wife Pat of Harvey, Louisiana; daughters, Linda Harris and her husband B.J. of Port Arthur and Alice Colicher of Beaumont; step-daughters, Kathy Lietzke and her husband Brian of Round Rock and Mary Beth Olmsted of Beaumont; step-sons, Paul Rizzotto and his wife Brenda of Sugarland and Vincent Rizzotto and his wife Kay of Slidell, Louisiana; twenty grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren; sisters, Concha Molina and her husband Renaldo of Laredo and Ann Connors of Agawam, Massachusetts.

He is preceded in death by his parents; sister, Mencha Rocamontis; his first wife, Argentina Talamantez; and his son, Richard Talamantez.

 A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 2:00 p.m. Thursday, December 23, 2010, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, 6825 Gladys Avenue, with burial to follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Groves under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Pius X Catholic Church, 5075 Bigner Road, Beaumont, Texas 77708 or to St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, 6825 Gladys Avenue, Beaumont, Texas 77706.