Donald A Finlayson

Donald Angus Finlayson

April 9, 1926 – July 11, 2018

   Donald Angus Finlayson passed away on July 11, 2018 at the age of 92. He was born in Aberdeen, WA as the oldest of 5 children of Angus & Annie Finlayson. Raised south of Aberdeen, he graduated from Aberdeen H.S. and joined the Navy in 1944. He went to Farragut, Idaho for boot camp, then to the Univ. of Idaho for Radioman training.  Don then went to Maui for Underwater Demolition training under the instruction of Buster Crabbe. Demolition work at Iwo Jima, Okinawa and sweeping Tokyo Bay followed until the end of WWII. Don took a discharge and did theater management in Aberdeen, Hoquiam, and Olympia for 2 years with Evergreen Theaters.  He re-entered the Navy in 1948 and was mainly stationed in the Pacific where he specialized in Cryptographic Repair. In 1958-59, he and 16 other men wintered over 13 months at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station running scientific studies for the IGY/United States Antarctic Research Program. Don retired from the Navy at Cheltenham Naval Comm. Headquarters near Washington D.C. as a Chief Radioman.  He accumulated 12 ribbons, numerous stars, and 2 navy unit citations during his service. He was married and divorced twice before marrying Ruth Frafjord Peters in 1973 who passed away in 2007. In addition to his wife Ruth, he was preceded in death by his son, Dennis Finlayson. He is survived by a sister, Margaret Von Euw of Cape Cod, MA, daughters Paula Dede of Chugiak, AK, Dorthy Seavers of Grants Pass, OR, step children Priscilla Oxley, Cheryl Gray, Linda Snell, Dennis Peters, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. A service is planned for July 19 at 10am at the Woodlawn Funeral Home in Lacey, WA.