Fr. Ronald Paul Talbott was born in Los Angeles, California on April 13, 1946, the son of Roy M. Talbott and Elizabeth McNelis and brother of Sharon Maloney. He graduated from Pater Noster High School in 1964. In 1969, he received a BA degree in history from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana. He received his teaching credential in 1970, and taught history at his alma mater Pater Noster High School until 1975. In 1975, he received an MA in history from Pepperdine University. He entered the Capuchin Order on August 20, 1975, at San Lorenzo Seminary in Santa Ynez, CA and was ordained a Catholic priest on June 19, 1981, at St. Bede Church, La Cañada-Flintridge, CA.
After ordination he was assigned as a teacher at St. Francis High School in La Cañada-Flintridge, CA. In 1982, he was commissioned as a chaplain in the US Army Reserve and earned the rank of captain and served in the California National Guard. In 1982, he was vice novice master at San Lorenzo Novitiate in Santa Ynez, CA. In 1984, he was associate pastor at Our Lady of Angels Church, Burlingame, CA. In 1989, he returned to teach at St. Francis High School in La Cañada, CA. In 1995, he was named novice master at San Lorenzo in Santa Ynez. In 1996, he became Pastor of Old Mission Santa Ines in Solvang, CA. To his great dismay he was elected provincial minister of the Western America Province in 1997. As provincial, he worked hard for implantation of the Capuchin Order in Northern Mexico and was instrumental is getting formation established there. After leaving the office of provincial he spent some time in culinary school.
In 2003, he returned to St. Francis High School as guardian. In 2010, he was associate pastor at St. Lawrence of Brindisi Church, Los Angeles, where he ministered at the Los Angeles Womens’ County Jail where he was greatly loved by the staff and inmates. He used his culinary skills to make breakfast for the hungry in Watts. He said those were his happiest days in ministry. In 2016, he was assigned as resident at St. Francis High School and then, because of deteriorating health, he moved to St. John of God Retirement Center in Los Angeles. In 2017, he was transferred for care to Mercy Retirement Center in Oakland where he was greatly loved by all.
As a Capuchin friar for 48 years, Fr. Ron treated everyone with great kindness and respect and welcomed all with an open heart. He was a wonderful compassionate confessor. He loved all of God’s creatures especially his dear Frankie (golden retriever) and Clarisse (calico cat). He was a very humble and unassuming friar with a great sense of humor. He was a prankster and loved to pull pranks on his unwitting friends. His nickname was “Fluffy”. He continued to love history and was especially fascinated by the Spanish Civil War and Francisco Franco. He loved sports and was a big fan of USC, the Chargers, Texas A&M, and Army. He loved the poor and would gladly give the coat off his back to any who needed it. He adored his family, friends and their pets.
Fr. Ron suffered from congestive heart failure and diabetes, became very ill, and died peacefully on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima May 13, 2023, in Oakland, CA. He was 77 years old.
He is survived by his dear sister Sharon, several nephews and nieces, and his Capuchin brothers.
Fr. Ron’s funeral arrangements are as follows: funeral mass is Monday, May 22, 2023, at 7pm at Our Lady of Angels Church, 1721 Hillside Drive, Burlingame, CA. Rosary will be Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 7pm at Old Mission Santa Ines, 1760 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA. The mass of Christian burial will be at 11am on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, also at Old Mission Santa Ines in Solvang. Burial is at San Lorenzo Friary, 1802 Sky Drive in Santa Ynez, CA.
In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in memory of Fr. Ron to the Retired Friars Foundation, 1345 Cortez Avenue, Burlingame, CA 94010.
