September 4, 1936 - August 28, 2018
Don was born in Windsor, Ontario on September 4, 1936, an actual Labour Day on the eve of the
weekend of the same name. He died peacefully at home, as he wished, on August 28, 2018 in Ocean Park, B.C.
Don lived almost exactly half his life in Ontario and the latter half by choice in the spectacularly beautiful Province of British Columbia where he greatly enjoyed living by the sea and boating with his young family along what he described as "the most beautiful coast in the world". In his retirement, he was talked into spending winters in a "land" yacht in the desert but his heart never left the sea.
Don spent the majority of his working life in the construction contract guarantee bonding and risk management business during which he was involved in, among other things, guaranteeing and insuring many of Canada's major infrastructure projects during the four plus decades leading up to his retirement on December 31,1999.
A gifted raconteur, Don was a frequently requested public speaker where he entertained attendees with his hilarious but always informative industry stories. In retirement he employed his story telling skills in a wonderful collection of anecdotes for his children describing his life "back in the day" including his exploits delivering bread with a horse drawn wagon. An engaged news and political junkie to the end Don wrote passionate commentaries to friends, family and media railing against what he considered to be incompetent politicians and their "wrong-headed" decisions. The Findlay household was never short of spirited debate.
Over the last few weeks Don spent a lot of time in his favorite chair with Frank Sinatra or Judy Garland in the background, sipping a 'scotch and soda' and reminiscing about his full and happy life and times with family, friends, colleagues and clients. Not wishing any public end of life memorial, his final wish was that each of them might also find a quiet opportunity to do the same.
Don is survived by his sister Elinor, his wife Bonita, former wife Laurie, daughters Lesley and Erin(Adrian) and grandchildren Brayden and Kieran, step daughter Nicole(Dwayne) and grandchildren Melody, James, Matthew, Cameron and Braedon and step son Brandon (Amanda).