James Phillip Tomlin, 77

James “Jim” Phillip Tomlin, son of Sam and Ione Tomlin was born Jan. 28, 1943, in Spokane, Wash. Jim passed away March 26, 2020, in Kalispell, after the sudden onset of the COVID-19 virus. He was Montana’s first fatality of the pandemic.

Jim will be remembered by many as a teacher, woodworker, chef, winemaker, an outdoorsman, father, husband and grandfather. Most of all, he will be remembered for his infectious smile and love-of-life attitude.

Jim moved to Walla Walla, Wash., as a child with his sister, Mary Lou Tomlin Daniel. He attended Berney Elementary and graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1961. In high school he was in the marching band and active in DeMolay International. Jim graduated with a double major in biology and education from Western Washington University in 1966.

In March 1965, he married Celia Kathleen Gibson, the mother of his first two children, Gerald Scott Tomlin and Lara Tomlin Karlson. They eventually divorced in 1977.

Jim returned to Walla Walla in 1966 to pursue a position teaching at his old high school. In 1969 he earned a National Science Foundation grant for his master’s degree in science teaching focusing on biology and physics from the University of North Dakota. Afterwards, he returned to Washington to teach junior high math in Kennewick, Wash. In the fall of 1971, Jim returned to WWHS, where he retired after a 40-year teaching career. He taught a range of subjects, including biology, astronomy, meteorology, geology, zoology and humanities, and co-taught a group of at-risk students in a program called Man and Nature. He coached golf and softball, and advised students in the mock legislative program, Youth and Government, eventually becoming chairman of the statewide board overseeing the program. Jim also played a central role with a team of teachers in reorganizing the structure of the academic program at the high school and was very active as both a local and state union leader in the Washington Education Association.

Jim married Marcia Hunter Tomlin in the summer of 1978. Both were well respected and admired educators in the Walla Walla School District. The following year was a big one for Jim and Marcia. They purchased lakefront property on Bull Lake near Troy, where they had spent many summers at the family’s nearby property. There they had enjoyed the lake, games and, most of all, time with friends and family. The property was their planned retirement location. They capped the year with the adoption of their daughter, Quinn Maureen Tomlin.

Jim spent several summers building the first phase of their dream retirement home, one filled with love and adorned with the handiwork of Jim. Retiring in 2007, Jim and Marcia moved permanently to Troy to continue life on Bull Lake and pursue their hobbies.

Jim occupied his time with many woodworking projects, especially furniture for the lake house. He loved fly-fishing in the creek and trolling on nearby Lake Koocanusa. Traveling also played an important part of retirement. They made annual trips to golf in California, cruised in Alaska and explored Italy with dear friends. In Italy, he indulged his interest in food, wine and history.

Jim loved to cook and experiment with recipes. In his final years, he acquired a serious skill at cocktail making.

Jim is survived by a large extended family, including his wife Marcia Hunter Tomlin; son, G. Scott Tomlin (Lainie); daughters, Lara

Karslon (Ryan) and Quinn Tomlin; and five grandchildren, Hailey, Sam, Liam, Rowan and Iris.

The family has requested, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Bull Lake Volunteer Fire Department at: http://gf.me/u/xt3wqf

The family will plan for services after our current situation is resolved.