By Douglas Fairbanks Tally, a Cal State Long Beach administrator for 22 years, died March 17 from an aortic aneurysm at his home in Seal Beach. He was 88.
Tally was born on Nov. 22, 1919, in a small town in South Carolina. He moved to Brawley, Calif., with his family when he was six months old.
Tally then moved to Long Beach, where he spent most his life, eventually attending CSULB. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in business economics and began working at the university that same year as the administrative assistant to the dean of instruction. Tally’s family said he lived his life helping and mentoring others.
Tally retired in 1980 after 22 years at CSULB. He continued to volunteer on campus and became the chairman of the faculty and staff Emeriti Association.
“He was very good to Cal State Long Beach,” said Barbara Holden, director of development for University Relations & Development, who began working with Tally in 1967.
“I don’t care how stressful things were… he was always pleasant and respectful,” Holden said. “He just gave 120 percent of everything he was involved in.”
Gay Arakawa, the executive director for the CSULB Alumni Association, said, “I’ve known Doug and [his wife] Marge for at least 10 years. They were always delightful to be around.”
Arakawa said that the couple was presented with a distinguished service award in 2006 for both of their volunteer work at the university.
Tally was known to many as an educator, gardener, fix-it man, volunteer and caregiver. He was also nicknamed the “Shuffleboard King.”
Tally’s two careers as a Naval officer and member of the CSULB staff spanned more than 50 years. He and his second wife Marge spent 22 years traveling the world together, meeting people, volunteering and being grandparents. Prior to his death, the couple had just returned from a trip to Costa Rica.
Tally was known to have a positive attitude and caring manner, which made a difference for those he came in contact with.
His family said Tally was a wonderful father, grandfather and husband.
His granddaughter, Vanessa Wentworth, said via e-mail that the family shared “great stories about his life as a Landing Signal Officer in the Navy during WWII, his ‘green thumb’ with gardening, his love of volunteering at CSULB, game playing, and his everyday zest for life.”
Tally is survived by his wife Marge; daughters Lynne Huck and Anne Crowley; stepchildren Keith Eilerman and Vicki Lynne; son-in-law Dave Crowley; stepdaughter-in-law Alison Eilerman and 16 grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in the memory of Douglas F. Tally to the CSULB Alumni Association.
