FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * DICHIARO STEVEN JOHN   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol TORCHMARK CORP [TMK] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) __X__ Other (specify below) Exec. Officer of Principal Sub (Last) (First) (Middle) GLOBE LIFE AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE CO., 3700 SOUTH STONEBRIDGE DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 10/26/2017 (Street) MCKINNEY, TX 75070 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 10/26/2017   M   5,000 A $ 50.6934 13,360 D   Common Stock 10/26/2017   M   6,000 A $ 53.61 19,360 D   Common Stock 10/26/2017   S   11,000 D $ 84.5749 (1) (2) 8,360 D   Common Stock               2,163 (3) I Thrift/401(k) Plan Trust

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 50.6934 (4)

10/26/2017

M

5,000 (4)

02/24/2017

02/24/2021

Common Stock

5,000

$ 0

0

D

Employee Stock Optoin (Right to Buy)

$ 53.61

10/26/2017

M

6,000

02/25/2018

02/25/2022

Common Stock

6,000

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
DICHIARO STEVEN JOHN GLOBE LIFE AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE CO. 3700 SOUTH STONEBRIDGE DRIVE MCKINNEY, TX 75070				Exec. Officer of Principal Sub

Signatures

Steven J. DiChiaro, By:/s/Carol A. McCoy, Attorney-in-fact		10/27/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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)	sales at prices ranging from $84.39 per share to $84.85 per share.
(2)	Reporting person will provide full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price upon request by the SEC staff, the issuer or any security holder of the issuer.
(3)	Shares in unitized fund in Torchmark 401(k) employee benefit plan - estimated conversion of $ balance to shares using $85.08 per share.
(4)	Previously reported as option for 22,000 shares at an exercise price of $76.04 per share, but was adjusted to reflect 3-for-2 stock split paid in the form of 50% stock dividend occuring on July 1, 2014.

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