James C. BONVALLET M.D.

1934 - 2024

March 31, 1934 - September 25, 2024

Spokane - James "Jim" Cecil Bonvallet, MD, 90, passed away peacefully on September 25, 2024, with his family and close friends by his side. Born on March 31, 1934, in Terre Haute, IN, he was the son of the late Cecil and Beatrice Bonvallet.

He spent his childhood in the outdoors, fishing, camping and fixing cars with his two older brothers. He attended Wiley High School. He studied Pre-Med at Indiana University and graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1959, where he met his wife of 33 years, Carolyn Fields. In 1960, he completed his internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, LA, where he and Carole started a great love of all things New Orleans. In 1964, he completed his General Surgery Residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He completed his Cardiovascular & Thoracic Residency at the Medical College of Georgia in 1967, after which he spent 3 years as Chief of Surgery at General Fort Leonard Wood Hospital in Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. In August of 1969, he moved to Spokane, WA, and began private practice.

It was on a whim in college, that a high school friend suggested a summer job, working with the Forest Service at the Upper Lake of Priest Lake, ID. It was not for the faint of heart, travelling to Priest Lake from Indiana; taking a train to Sandpoint, ID, hitchhiking to Priest River, ID, where a member of the Forest Service picked him up and drove him to Nordman, ID, finally completing an 8-mile hike through the forest to a heavily wooded and rustic camp. He was tasked with removing the gooseberry plants that were host to transmitting blister rust to the coveted white pine trees. With weekly rations, high temperatures and bears aplenty, he came back the following summer for a second tour. This is where he fell in love with the Great Northwest and became his beacon to settle and raise a family.

He practiced medicine until 2010, at which point he "retired", only to volunteer at the Union Gospel Mission, House of Charity and Shriner's Hospital seeing patients, followed by attending Lung Tumor Boards. He continued several of these up until June of 2024.

Not only was he a life-long learner, his passion was teaching. He was the Medical Director for the Respiratory Therapy School at Spokane Community College for 38 years, followed by an additional 9 years of "retirement" as Public Member at the school representing the interests of the general public. He traveled locally, regionally and nationally, advocating for respiratory therapists; and was a nationally certified site visit administrator certifying new and existing schools on practicum.

Jim also practiced medicine with one eye, which he lost at the age of 12 in a tragic accident. Performing intricate surgeries connecting the smallest vessels without depth perception is an unfathomable accomplishment and a testament of his dedication and perseverance. However, he often said the most important, and hardest to learn skill, is "surgical judgment".

He was the proud father of three sons and one daughter, as well as ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was an avid snow skier, which has continued multiple generations. Jim also was a pilot and took many family excursions to Michigan to visit family, and countless touch-and-gos at Felts Field, with his children calling out the signal to the tower. That was almost as terrifying as holding a flashlight for him. He and Carole enjoyed numerous sailing trips to the Caribbean and Mediterranean with their children and other friend groups, requiring hours of planning and charting. Dad so graciously, and anonymously, gifted many aromatic sea findings, inconspicuously placed in the dinghies or cabins of the other boats.

Jim later married Lynne Fisher and worked together for 24 years in his office. Despite divorcing, Lynne continued to manage his practice until Jim's retirement. To this day, Lynne has been a cherished member of the Bonvallet family.

Jim is survived by his children, Scott (Michelle), Todd (Kristi), Joel (Dayna) and Ashley (Jim Shasky); grandchildren, Spencer (Lauren), Kramer, Mattie, Zachary, Mackenzie, Austin, Paige, Nathan, Collin; great-grandchildren, Roland, Hudson. He was predeceased by his son, Thomas Bonvallet and grandson, Cole Bonvallet.

A celebration of Jim's life will take place on Saturday, November 9th, 2024, 2:00 PM-5:00 PM, at The Steam Plant Roof Top, 159 S. Lincoln.