ROCKWELL — Hoyle “Shotgun” Talbert, 84, of Rockwell died Friday from injuries he suffered in the U.S. 52 wreck late Wednesday night that also claimed the life of his wife, Helen Rae.
The retired couple, who lived on Ashley Drive in Rockwell, were well-known in eastern Rowan County. They attended St. James Lutheran Church.
“This has rocked Rockwell,” Terry Beaver, owner of the Ace Hardware, said. “It has really affected a lot of people.”
Shotgun Talbert died at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center after being taken off life-support Friday afternoon. He had undergone surgery Thursday to remove a lacerated kidney and to repair holes in his intestines, among other injuries he suffered in the accident.
Headed toward Rockwell, Talbert was driving a Mitsubishi on U.S. 52 Wednesday night when it struck the back end of a tractor-trailer, which was pulling across the highway and headed toward Salisbury.
The accident occurred near O.C. Pine Drive in Granite Quarry. The couple were flown to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, where Helen Rae Talbert, 81, died from her injuries. The Granite Quarry-Faith Joint Police Authority investigated, and no charges were filed against the tractor-trailer’s driver, Glover Polk.
Polk, 63, was pulling his rig across U.S. 52 from a gravel rest area.
Beaver described the Talberts, whom he had known since childhood, as “people who just went above and beyond — that’s the way they were.”
Ronnie Miller, one of Shotgun Talbert’s golfing friends, said Talbert had a knack for endearing himself to people.
“He always had a good word or comment which would make you smile and sometimes burst out laughing,” Miller said.
Marsha W. Beaver said the couple were loving friends who never let her forget how much they cared about her.
“They were always loving and supportive, even during the most difficult time of my life,” Beaver added. “So full of fun and good times.”
The Post will have more about the couple in Sunday’s edition.
Funeral arrangements have not been finalized.