James Michael O'Fallon

1944 - 2017

James Michael O'Fallon was born on November 25, 1944 in Gunnison, Colorado to Owen Kenneth and Dorothy O'Fallon. The family moved to Manhattan, Kansas in l950, where Jim completed his public school education. As a National Merit Scholar he attended Stanford University, then returned to Kansas State University for his B.A. in political science and a J.D. from Stanford.

Jim married Ellen Thomas on Christmas Eve of 1973 in San Francisco, where he served as a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The next year Jim began his career teaching law at the University of Richmond in Virginia. After an NEH fellowship in law and the humanities at Harvard and five years at the University of Detroit, Jim and Ellen settled in Eugene. A one-year visiting professorship turned into a long and distinguished career in the U of O Law School where Jim became well known for his scholarly work on the history of the Constitution, constitutional theory and legal philosophy. He held the Frank Nash professorship beginning in 1993, and, upon his retirement from teaching, tributes from former students and colleagues highlighted his dedication to increasing opportunities for minority students in law school.

In his 25 years as the U of O's Faculty Athletics Representative, Jim worked to ensure that student-athletes had the support they needed to balance academic and athletic endeavors. He thoroughly appreciated the opportunities this job gave him to support all his beloved Duck teams. He served on the NCAA's Division 1 Committee on Infractions and on the Pac-12 Conference's Faculty Athletics Representatives' Council, work that earned him the respect of colleagues and the community.

Jim was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, son and sibling. Family gatherings at his home - which often included cousins, friends, and former students - were laughter-filled occasions. No one had more wit or could tell a joke better than Jim, and no one appreciated a groan-inducing pun more than he did.

Jim died at home on July 11, 2017 of heart and lung disease, which did not keep him from faithfully attending all U of O football and basketball games. He is survived by his wife of more than 43 years, Ellen Thomas; his sons, Dylan and Cheyney; his sister, Kathleen O'Fallon and his grandchildren, Sahalie and Owen. He was preceded in death by his son Colin, his parents, and his brother Kerry O'Fallon. A memorial gathering is scheduled for Friday, August 4th from 3-5 p.m. in the Ford Alumni Center's Guistina Ballroom by Matt Court. The family wishes to thank many relatives and friends for their kind condolences, and asks that donations be considered in Jim's name to the Southern Poverty Law Center, whose mission supports civil rights causes and challenges discrimination, or to the Oregon Humanities Center for the Colin Ruagh Thomas O'Fallon Memorial Lecture.

Arrangements entrusted to Musgrove Family Mortuary. Please access the obituary and you are invited to sign the guestbook at musgroves.com