Kathleen (Katy) Findlay, 92, passed away peacefully on July 7, 2018, at Avanti Care and Rehabilitation Center in Minocqua. She was born on Nov. 8, 1925, in Burlington to Ray and Carolyn Wiemer. She was raised in Whitewater where she met and married Colman (Coley) Findlay on April 19, 1948. They celebrated 68 years together. Early in their marriage, they established Burlington Truck Rental, of Burlington, where Katy was instrumental in office management and accounting.
She was a proud and active mother of six children: Christine (Dennis) Reuss; James Findlay, Janice (Robert) Aiken, Barbara Findlay, Charles (Sandi) Findlay, and Michael Findlay. Her family grew to include nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Katy is survived by her two sisters, Joyce Zimmerman and Marilyn Taylor. Katy was a creative homemaker and crafter inspiring the creative arts in her children. She was a sharp card player and sports enthusiast, who enjoyed bowling, golf, and especially snowmobiling.
Retiring “early”, the two moved from Burlington to Boulder Junction where they would spend over 30 years actively involved in the enjoyment and promotion of snowmobiling. Both Katy and Coley were inducted into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame in 1999 in recognition for their grass roots effort in promoting the sport and then into the Wisconsin Snowmobiling Hall of Fame in 2006, by that time having ridden a combined distance of over 450,000 miles on their sleds. Katy was an active member in the “Flying Femmes”, a club for women who enjoyed long distance snowmobile travel. She was also a creative writer, often submitting travel articles and poetry for publication. Katy’s smile and enthusiasm were her trademarks.
A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 10315 Main Street, Boulder Junction. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Burial will be at the Cemetery of the Pines, Boulder Junction.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to St. Anne Catholic Church, Building Fund, P.O. Box 110, Boulder Junction, WI 54512.
Bolger Funeral Home is serving the family. Well-wishers may visit www.bolgerfuneral.
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