James Franklin Tall

James Franklin Tall, affectionately known as Jim, was born on January 14, 1929, in Elkhorn Wis., to Henry M. Tall and Belva Sorenson Tall. He grew up alongside his brothers, Henry “Hank” Charles Tall and John Ronald Tall, both of whom preceded him in death.

James attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he earned a degree in elementary education. There, he met Maxine Schwere of Fennimore, Wis., and in 1951, the two married. On July 30, 1953, Maxine and Jim welcomed a baby boy, Bradley James Tall (Brad Tall).

He began his career in education teaching fifth grade in Fort Atkinson, Wis. In 1953, he earned his master’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Driven by a desire to impact education more broadly, James transitioned into administration, becoming assistant superintendent in Fort Atkinson in 1957. Three years later, he took a similar role in Fond du Lac, Wis. In 1962, James earned his doctorate in education from University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo. During his time there, he fell in love with the Colorado mountains and the recreational opportunities they offered—a love that remained throughout his life, and that he passed on to his son Brad and his grandchildren.

James dedicated his life to education, school instruction, and curriculum development. For the rest of his career, he was assistant superintendent at Whitefish Bay, Wis,, which was one of the most prestigious school systems in the country. Though he retired from school administration in 1970, he continued serving the community’s educational needs by starting his own publishing company that specialized in creating social studies booklets for children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Upon the death of his wife Maxine, he continued his publishing work, which provided ample opportunities to travel across the country.

His travels fueled a wide variety of passions and hobbies, including sailing, collecting lighthouses and nautical memorabilia, and building model trains. He especially loved the magic and joy of the Christmas season.

Years of retirement and traveling eventually brought James back to Colorado closer to his immediate family, which included his son, Brad, his daughter-in-law Jo-Ann, his step-grandson Taylor, his granddaughters Monica and Katie, and his great-granddaughter Zoe.

James settled with his beloved cat Minnie in Canon City, Colo. surrounded by the mountains he cherished so deeply. He found great joy in exploring national parks and historic mining towns with Brad. His favorite places in Colorado were Rocky Mountain National Park, Aspen, Georgetown, Leadville, and Cripple Creek.

Throughout his life, James treated every stranger he met with compassion, always eager to learn about people and their life experiences. He made friends wherever he went, was never judgmental, was a tolerant and earnest listener, was curious and always willing to learn, and had a knack for finding the good in every person and situation. Through his sunny persona and kind demeanor, he taught everyone around him what true compassion meant.

In the late hours of Sunday, May 3, 2026, James passed away peacefully in Canon City, Colo. He is survived by his son, Brad Tall, nephews Avery Schwer and Sam Schwer, and nieces Jill Deetz, Mary Joyce Drolsum, Ruth Drolsum, Andrea Schwer, and Ann Tall. He is also survived by his dear friends the Etta Ranson family.