It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend and fearless warrior, Arvo Dennis Fallon. Having recently celebrated his 88th birthday (with typical gusto), he succumbed to a possible stroke in his Fort Collins home on April 8th, 2025.
Arvo was born February 14, 1937, in Bell, California. He earned his undergrad degree at Claremont Men’s College (now Claremont McKenna College) and his MBA at the University of Chicago. He worked for some years in his father’s grocery business before taking a job as an accountant for San Bernadino County. Later, he and his brother Chris owned a furniture stripping business. Arvo had already accrued the experience and knowledge for his long career as the go-to guy for all things financial.
Arvo began his Buddhist path with the San Francisco Dharmadhatu in the early 80’s. Once he encountered the dharma, he devoted the rest of his life to it and to his teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He moved to what was then Rocky Mountain Dharma Center in the late 80’s, where he headed the Finance Department with a firm and steady hand until the early 90’s. He then practiced, studied, and worked for a year at Gampo Abbey. Settling in Fort Collins, Colorado, he played a strong leadership role at the Shambhala Center there for the next three plus decades. He was a member of their Governing Council and also served as Treasurer. As a meditation instructor, Arvo mentored many appreciative students, who loved him for his reassuring and wise presence. Arvo had a strong connection to Pema Chodron and served for many years as the bookkeeper and a member of the board of The Pema Chodron Foundation.
Throughout his life, Arvo was a strong father-figure, for his four younger siblings, for the three daughters of his wife of eight years, and for the dharma students who were lucky enough to encounter him for instruction. A few days ago, his brother Chris wrote down a memory: “I was maybe five years old and Arvo a teenager. We were about to share a piece of cake. I, of course expected to get the smaller piece. He picked up the knife and said ‘Do you want to cut or choose first?’ That was just the first of many conscious and loving lessons I learned from my wise and loving elder brother.”
Arvo’s generous, joyful, open spirit was boundlessly available to everyone he met, bar none. Master of the Scrabble board, king of the dance floor, supreme mixer of the perfect margarita, may his path forward be free from obstacles and full of the blessed peace that he brought to so many others during his extraordinary lifetime. Go with all our love, Ratna Afternoon!
We will gather online for a Sukhavati and celebration of Arvo’s life on Sunday April 13th at 7pm mountain time.
From Sheila Cataford
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Tributes
I met Arvo through my dear friend Clark Erwin-Billones in 2004 in Fort Collins. He was as old as my own parents but much more young in spirit than them - he was so fun. And kind. I visited Clark, Agie, and Ace nearly every year until they moved abroad, and each time I was in FC, I met up with Arvo. I remember margarita time with him at Clark's, playing table tennis, hanging out at his place with Clark and (then little) Ace. One day, after calmly encouraging me to release some nagging petty grievances and angst, Arvo gave me a thoughtful gift—a set of Pema Chödrön wisdom cards. I used them for years daily. I still have them. Thanks, Arvo. What a great teacher you are. I will always remember you fondly. - Haseena
Arvo was the most important role model in my life. He was 9 years older than me. As a younger sibling I looked up to him with a lot of respect and also with much adoration. Although much older, he never treated me as a youngster who needed teaching. Instead, he related to me as an equal and offered wise advice when needed. Because of this support, and his relaxed acceptance, I gained a lot of confidence and ease. For several years we were in business and worked very well together. We laughed a lot shared a few beers, as well as had numerous philosophical and spiritual discussions. My being was deeply enriched by his presence in my life and that doesn't end....We've all been graced having shared this earthly adventure with Arvo. Thank you, bro...I love you.
At an RMDC event, the speaker said, "For the evening's entertainment. . .
The Vidyadhara seated behind uttered a word.
"What sir?"
"Not entertainment. Enjoyment"
Arvo fully embodied enjoyment. To his warmth and joy many gathered and were soothed and nourished.
Long will we remember and miss you and your big' ever available heart
Arvo enjoyed playing scrabble. Here is a"Scrabble Poem" tribute to Arvo, jokingly retitled "SPELL FOR CREATION". Scrabble Letters connect to make words, and words connect to make worlds. Our friend Arvo created worlds of friends across the globe, all linked together by the essence of love which was reflected by his dated of birth, Valentine's Day, February 14, 1937. The poem includes letters from A to O, as in ArvO, with the letter O being especially highlighted in the poem.
The actual title of the poem is "A Spell for Creation", by Kathleen Raine, written in the 1960's.
A SPELL FOR CREATION, by Kathleen Raine
Within the flower there lies a seed,
Within the seed there springs a tree,
Within the tree there spreads a wood.
In the wood there burns a fire,
And in the fire there melts a stone,
Within the stone a ring of iron.
Within the ring there lies an O,
Within the O there looks an eye,
In the eye there swims a sea,
And in the sea reflected sky,
And in the sky there shines the sun,
Within the sun a bird of gold.
Within the bird there beats a heart,
And from the heart there flows a song,
And in the song there sings a word.
In the word there speaks a world,
A world of joy, a world of grief,
From joy and grief there springs my love.
Oh love, my love, there springs a world,
And on the world there shines a sun,
And in the sun there burns a fire,
Within the fire consumes my heart,
And in my heart there beats a bird,
And in the bird there wakes an eye,
Within the eye, earth, sea and sky,
Earth, sky and sea within an O
Lie like the seed within the flower.
Arvo was a true friend, in every sense.
I am honored to say that my life was touched by Arvo Fallon, my meditation instructor for a little while in the early 2000s. He was living then, I think, in a little house behind the very quaint Fort Collins Shambhala Center. His unwavering confidence in the workability of life was contagious at a time when I was really in need of just that. I am sorry that I never told him. I know he would have appreciated hearing that from me, and probably would have remembered a bit of my story, but I know that this was not why he made himself so open to the world. He seemed to communicate to me in the short time that I knew him that this was just how he is. Effortless generosity. Thank you Arvo! _/\_
RIP, ARVO. We'll miss you
