Ed F. Fallon

Obituary Ed F. Fallon, of Tacoma, Washington, passed on May sixteenth at the age of 78. The son of Ed and Leona Fallon, Ed grew up in Colton and Spokane, Washington where he attended Gonzaga High School and graduated from Gonzaga University in 1957. He was a veteran of the United States Army and served in the Korean War. In 1963, Ed married Carol Johnson of Sumner, Washington. They had two children, Neil and Kate. He began his teaching and coaching career at St. Gertrude's School in Cottonwood, Idaho, where he worked as the only male with a staff of twenty-five nuns. This would be his first stop in his 37-year career in education. Ed moved on to coach football and baseball at Rosalia and Orting High Schools. While at Orting, his football team won back-to-back Class A football championships. In 1966, he moved to Bellarmine Preparatory School to build a football program for a school that had not won a championship since 1947. Under Ed's guidance, the team won the Tacoma City League Championship in 1971 and repeated in 1972. In 1972, Ed became the Vice President of Student Activities and Athletic Director at Bellarmine, a position he would hold until his retirement in 1993. In his decades at Bellarmine, Ed spearheaded the drive to improve facilities and athletics, and lead Bellarmine to become the first co-ed Jesuit high school in the world. Along with opening the doors for female students, Ed built a fiercely competitive girls' athletic program. He established policies allowing girls equal practice time, budgets, and recognition. In addition, he developed a stipend scale that paid both the girls' and boys' coaches equally. Ed was a member of WSSAAA, NIAAA, and WACA. As a past president of the Tacoma Athletic Commission, he was instrumental in developing the "Athlete of the Month," and "TAC Athlete of the Year" awards. In 1997, he was inducted into the Washington Athletic Administrators Hall of Fame. In 2006, he was presented with the Robert Bellarmine Award for his distinguished career in education. Ed is survived by his wife of 48 years, Carol Fallon, his children Neil and Kate, three grandchildren, and brother Robert Fallon. He was predeceased by his brother Mark Fallon on May 13, 2011. His service will be held at Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in Tacoma, Washington on Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 3:30 PM. A reception will follow at the Bellarmine Prep Student Center. Donations can be made to Bellarmine Preparatory School of Tacoma, WA. Online condolences can be left at www.gaffneycares.com.