Jim Farnell

James E. Farnell passed away August 14, 2026, at Poudre Valley Hospital with loving family at his bedside sharing memorable stories and gentle laughter. He was born April 2, 1949, in Princeton, New Jersey, to Dorothy May Swann and Albert Bennett Farnell, the youngest of three children after brother David and sister Judi.

Jim grew up in Los Angeles and San Diego, before the family moved to Colorado, and graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1967. He went on to study at Colorado State University, where he started dating Christy and minored in the card game of bridge, which he got quite good at. Over the years he built a remarkably varied career. He and Christy owned and operated the Mulberry Bush gas station. He founded Farnell Construction and worked as a general contractor — he was a precise and talented cabinet maker, home builder, and craftsman. He built three homes with particular significance to the family: one for Christy's parents, and two that he and Christy raised their family in. He later moved into a career in technology, completing a Computer Science degree at CSU in 2001 while working at HP and later FRII, and ultimately retired as an IT Professional from CSU's Academic and Computing Services.

Jim was happily married to Christy (Coffman) for 54 years. They were best friends and did everything together, including raising three sons, Casey, Cody, and Shawn. He was enormously proud of them and of his daughters-in-law, Jennifer and Elin. He was an endlessly devoted father, playing catch in the yard, helping with homework, and never missing a band performance. The whole family enjoyed a trip to Italy earlier this summer, a definite highlight. He is also survived by his sister, Judi, some very special in-laws, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was an easy-going, patient, kind soul with a quick sense of humor, sharp mind, and aptitude for fixing almost anything. Jim continued with ambitious home remodeling projects in retirement and had more in his sights. He was a loyal CSU Ram fan — a passion that began with Jim and Christy watching their sons in the marching band. They rarely missed a men's or women's basketball game or a football game for 30 years. Jim and Christy consistently opened their home for holidays and birthdays, most often with the Coffmans and Gordons, making it a central gathering place and foundational part of relationships with family and friends. He enjoyed road trips, golfing, and playing the piano. A more recent source of entertainment and absolute delight was one-year-old granddaughter, Ember.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org).