Colman (Coley) Findlay, 88, Boulder Junction, died peacefully June 11, 2015, in Minocqua. He was born Sept. 18, 1926, in Whitewater.
He was a veteran of WWII. He married Katy (Kathleen May) Wiemer on April 19, 1948.
He established a long and successful career in Burlington as owner and entrepreneur of Burlington Truck Rental. He had an avid interest in snowmobiling and in the earliest days of the sport, he was considered a pioneer in trail blazing. He and a team of fellow adventurers traveled from Green Bay to Yellowstone National Park, nearly 2,200 miles via snowmobile. In the early 70s there were no trails or guide maps to follow.
This adventuresome spirit led Coley to work as a promotional spokesman and trailblazer on behalf of the sport. His wife joined in with enthusiasm. They relocated to up north, Boulder Junction, and volunteered countless hours to the sport and local snowmobile clubs. They frequently led snowmobile excursions and have had their miles driven via snowmobile recorded and authenticated. To date, their combined miles have reached nearly 500,000. His snowmobile adventures were chronicled in countless magazines and newspaper articles including his successful rides over open water.
For their effort in the sport, both Coley and Katy were inducted into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame in 1999 and in 2006 Coley was inducted into the Snowmobile Hall of Fame, St. Germain.
Survivors include his wife of 67 years; children, Christine (Dennis) Reuss, James Findlay, Janice (Robert) Aiken, Barbara Findlay, Charles (Sandi) Findlay, Michael Findlay; grandchildren, Matthew (Elizabeth) Reuss, Laura (Kyle) Cronan, Nicholas (Amy) Findlay, Anna (Latham) Linstedt, Jake (Alyssa) Findlay, Andrew Findlay, Brian Findlay; and seven great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life memorial will be held in Boulder Junction, Monday, July 13, at St. Anne Catholic Church, Boulder Junction. Visitation will be held at St. Anne at 10 a.m. A Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m., and a luncheon will follow at the Boulder Junction Community Center. There will be Military Honors.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to St. Anne Church: P.O. Box 110, Boulder Junction, WI 54512.
Bolger Funeral and Cremation Services is assisting the family, (715) 356-3200 or visit www.bolgerfuneral.com to share condolences.
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