FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   BOWIE ARVELIA 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 12/20/2006 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol TORCHMARK CORP [TMK] (Last) (First) (Middle) 3700 SOUTH STONEBRIDGE DRIVE 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) VP & Director of HR 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) MCKINNEY, TX 75070 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 0 D   Common Stock 115 (1) I Thrift Plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	  (2)	12/13/2013	Common Stock	500	$ 44.89	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	06/13/2005	12/15/2014	Common Stock	1,000	$ 56.24	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	05/04/2005	05/04/2012	Common Stock	552	$ 54.77	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	  (3)	12/13/2012	Common Stock	1,000	$ 55.48	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	  (4)	12/12/2013	Common Stock	1,250	$ 63.7	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
BOWIE ARVELIA 3700 SOUTH STONEBRIDGE DRIVE MCKINNEY, TX 75070	Â	Â	  VP & Director of HR	Â

Signatures

Arvelia Bowie, By:/s/Carol A. McCoy, Attorney-in-fact		12/22/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Shares in unitized fund in employee benefit plan - estimated conversion of $ balance to shares using $63.71 per share.
(2)	First exercisable as to 50% of shares on and after 12-11-2005 and as to remaining 50% of shares on and after 12-11-2006.
(3)	First exercisable as to 50% of shares on and after 12-13-2007 and as to remaining 50% of shares on and after 12-13-2008.
(4)	First exercisable as to 50% of shares on and after 12-12-2008 and as to remaining 50% of shares on and after 12-12-2009.

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