William Ernest Tally, Jr.

William “Ernest” (Talley) Tally, Jr., 92, passed away of natural causes on September 6, 2024. He was a veteran, entrepreneur, civil rights activist and enthusiastic volunteer for many social and educational organizations throughout the greater Tidewater area.

Born June 10, 1932, in Suffolk, Virginia, Ernest was the oldest son of William Ernest Talley, Sr., and Doris Smith Talley, owners of Talley’s Grocery Stores and housing units in Titustown, a historic black neighborhood of Norfolk.

He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and entered the United States Air Force shortly after, where he became a boxer, serving proudly during the Korean War era from 1953-1957.  After receiving an honorable discharge, he co-founded a boxing gym in downtown Norfolk, training under served at risk youth.  He also worked as a supervisor at the supply unit at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

For years, Tally, (as he preferred to spell his name), managed the family grocery store and apartment buildings as the Talley family was known for their generosity, assisting mothers with infants and others who had no funds for food in Titustown.

In 1979, he received a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Norfolk State University and through the years, his Mr. Ernest Enterprise Company, created and co-created a number of successful retail businesses from clothing and jewelry stores, to seafood and Pantyhose outlets.

As a civil right activist, Tally, along with the family, was very active with the Norfolk Chapter of the NAACP.   In 1970-71, he joined a group of distinguished leaders who were instrumental in lobbying the Norfolk City Council on a variety of social justice issues including the desegregation of Booker T. Washington High School.

Tally’s passion and dedication for helping others led him to years of volunteering at various Tidewater area food banks.

But Tally is probably most recognized citywide as a volunteer with the local chapter of the Norfolk State University Alumni Association.  Over the course of the past 20-years, he sold 50/50 raffle tickets at both football and basketball games, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the university’s athletic department and scholarship programs.

In his personal life, he was married to Elsie Mae Talley and Peggy Freeman Moss before eventually settling down with his longtime life partner of 30-years, Vi Vernice Winborne Williamson.

He is survived by 4 children Ernest Berdeen Butler of Elizabeth City, NC, William Earnest “Tony” Winborne of Los Angeles, CA, Lisa Sutton of Chesapeake, VA, Monica “Missy” Washington of Charlotte, NC.

He was also a loving brother to his surviving siblings Geraldine Talley Hobby of Bowie, MD and Elaine Talley Tyson of Lawton, Oklahoma.  He was a grandfather, a great-grandfather, with a host of nieces, nephews and extended family, friends and loved ones.