James Bryan Fallon

James Bryan Fallon passed away on January 7, 2023.
James Bryan Fallon was born September 9, 1957 in Salem, Oregon to Nancy (Barton) Fallon and Kenneth Fallon. When he was young, his family moved to Lincoln City, where he grew up. Jim graduated from Taft High School as salutatorian in 1975. He went on to earn a B.A. in Physics, from Willamette University in Salem, a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California and an MBA in Finance and Strategic Planning, from The Wharton School, at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
In junior high, Jim made his choice to serve God at Boring convention. He remained true to that choice throughout his lifetime. This focus on trying to do God’s will brought wonderful joy and many precious moments into his life. In 1976 Jim met Karin. They both were attending Willamette University and would go to every gospel meeting they could find from Portland to Eugene, after all, Jim had a car! After graduation, Karin got a job teaching at Creswell High School and Jim went on to Stanford. After he graduated (with distinction) they got married on June 28, 1980, in Dorena Oregon. Jim’s first job was for Unocal Corporation, working as a Petroleum Engineer in Santa Rosa. After three years Jim and Karin were transferred to Manila, Philippines where he continued his work for another three years. Both in Santa Rosa and in Manila, Jim and Karin treasured times with friends, family, and with their ministers who were spreading the Gospel story.
After business school Jim’s role at Unocal changed. For two years he was a corporate planner, then was transferred to the Rockefeller Center in New York City to be the Investor Relations Manager. This was an amazing job for Jim which he and Karin enjoyed thoroughly. After New York Jim was transferred back to Los Angeles to be Head of Corporate planning, then on to Head of Finance for the Retail Marketing group, and finally to International Project Finance. In total, Jim worked for Unocal from 1980 to 1998.
Jim and Karin settled in Manhattan Beach and opened Beverly Hills Lingual Institute in 1996. Then Jim worked for Deloitte Consulting as a Senior Manager in Dallas Texas from 1998 to 2003. Because Jim and Karin owned and ran the Beverly Hills Lingual Institute Jim commuted to Dallas and flew home to Manhattan Beach each weekend. Occasionally Karin flew to Dallas to make sure he was keeping his apartment nice and clean.
From 2003 to 2015 Jim joined Karin full-time at the Beverly Hills Lingual Institute, as it had gotten too large to just do on the side. In time, he and Karin also opened the Orange County Lingual Institute. Unfortunately, the schools got smaller during the recession, however this allowed Jim to pick up consulting again from 2015 to 2018. He enjoyed working with Dick Shermer on the corporate mergers that they monitored for the Federal Trade Commission.
From 2018 to 2022, with the death of his stepmother and the illness of his father, Jim decided to shift his focus. He purchased Fallon Logging Company from his father so he could turn it around and get money to set Ken up for retirement. He succeeded in this. Jim faithfully took Ken to the wound care and other doctor appointments and took Ken to work with him for over three years, then in the evenings he worked on the logistics and finances of running the company. Jim flew home to Manhattan Beach on weekends or Karin drove or flew north. After Jim’s glioblastoma operation he was able to close the company and sell the assets in an organized dignified manner with the help of loyal employees.
Jim and Karin enjoyed traveling, walking, eating, reading, and visiting. Jim was the master of beautiful spreadsheets and organization. He seemed to be able to get a grasp on the big picture and make sure things made good sense.
Jim is survived by his wife Karin, his father Ken, five sisters, two nieces, one nephew, and six cousins. Karin Chapman Fallon of Manhattan Beach, California and Dorena, Oregon, Kenneth Fallon of Lincoln City, Oregon, Linda Fallon (John) of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Cynthia Fallon Colebrook (husband Todd) of Port Ludlow, Washington, stepsisters Cheri Beck (Ohio), Charlene Beck (Oregon), and Marilyn Beck (Alaska), nieces Kera and Amy, nephew Ryan Parker, and cousins Mike, Brian, Bill, Laura, Cathy, and Karen. Jim was preceded in death by his mother Nancy, stepmother Peggy, aunt Bonnie, and uncles Bill and Joe (wife Rodine).
Jim was much loved by his in-laws, Karin’s mother Ruth, and sisters Sigie, Ellen (husband Herbert Jaeger, daughters Rebecca and Maggie), Vera, brother Udo (wife Damaris and daughter Erika) and father Ronald. For 20 years, Karin’s mother ended every phone call with Karin with the request “Say hello to Jim the great and wonderful.”
Jim was much devoted to wanting to do God’s will and loved the meetings and conventions. He and Karin were very honored to have Union meetings in their home in Manhattan Beach the first Sunday of each month. They had meetings for several years until COVID hit and then when it was time to start meeting again Jim was diagnosed with the glioblastoma, so meeting was moved to the Sumner home.
Jim valued and enjoyed the family, friends, and workers he was surrounded by. After his diagnosis, though heart broken, Jim did not complain. He often said, “It is what it is.” All through the treatments in the 15 months following, he did not complain. He just took it all with quiet resignation. Jim strove to be Christlike since he was young. He loved God. Now precious Jim is in God’s hands."