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| George and Kate Findlay |
The Findlays first met John when he was a missionary in the British Mission, serving for a time in Aberdeen. They quickly became friends and had a weekly tradition to gather together for “interesting discussions” and singing along as George played the piano. John was about 6 years younger than them, so he was similar in age. John finished his mission in 1931 and the Findlays were baptized the following year in 1932.(1)
What especially stands out to Ella about the friendship between her parents and John is that as a man in his early 20s returning home from his mission, John could have easily lost contact with the Findlays and carried on with his life in America, but he kept in touch with them for the next 17 years (!) by airmail correspondence. It was John who was their sponsor when they emigrated to America, and he was loyal to the Findlays their entire lives (he was even the emcee at Ralph and Ella's wedding reception).
Here is the text of the eulogy John gave for George. Minor edits to paragraph spacing and punctuation have been made to improve readability.
We have met this day to pay loving respect to the memory of a husband, father, grandfather, George Findlay. He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on the 4th of January, 1903, and passed from his mortal existence on this earth here in Mesa on September 20, 1970.
During the next few months my companion and I made it a Saturday night habit to visit the Findlay home. We were always greeted royally with a nice dinner, after which we would gather around for interesting conversation and discussions on many topics including religion, politics, and history. Often we would gather about the piano where George would display one of his many talents, one not known to all his acquaintances, that of playing the piano while we all joined in singing hymns or Scottish ballads.
Our friendship started there and has continued ever since. After my return in Arizona in 1931, George kept in contact with me through correspondence for seventeen years. During this time he expressed his deep desire to bring his family to America for the advantages he felt would accrue from such a move.
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| Letters from John to George. Source: The Life History of George and Katherine Findlay |
Then came World War II, making it temporarily impossible to fulfill his dream, but being a very determined, resolute man he persisted in obtaining that goal, and it was my privilege to sponsor him to this country. He came as a vanguard for the rest of the family, arriving here on Christmas Eve in 1948.
There were no passenger flights by jets in those days, so he came by boat, arriving in New York City on [Dec 20], 1948.(2) While going through customs an inspector asked him where he was going and what his occupation was. The inspector could hardly believe his answer. “You, a Scottish boatwright, going to Arizona?” George pointed to the blizzard in process and replied, “Do you see that weather out there? Well, I’m fed up with it and that’s why I’m going to Arizona.” This incident was typical of him.
George stayed in our home until we could locate an apartment for him in Mesa. A day or two after he was [settled], we came by to check up on him and to find out how he was getting along. He said that he had been walking around the town but that he got lost. I asked him how this could happen in a town with wide, straight streets laid out east to west and north to south. He replied that was the very reason he got lost was that all of the streets looked alike whereas back in Scotland: “Each street had a character of its ane.”
Being a fiercely independent man, George soon found employment on his own. For the rest of his working days here in Mesa, he engaged in carpentry, which was the nearest approach to what he knew best vocationally. He became a pattern maker and many of the mouldings and facings of government and private structures are the result of his skilled handicraft.
Five months following his arrival, Katherine and Ella arrived, then another five months passed before Ina arrived. The family was reunited and the dream of many years fulfilled.
George loved his native land. This love is characterized by the words of the great Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott, “Breathes there a man with soul so dead, who never to himself has said, ‘This is my own, my native land.’”
He especially loved the sea and the ships that sailed upon it. You would only need to engage him in conversation for a few minutes to discover that he was Scottish - no so much by his brogue as by the content of his conversation. He was extremely proud of his Scottish heritage. There is an old saying that “Strong winds make strong trees.” George lived in a land of extreme weather and other hardships such as was experienced during the World War II days when the city of Aberdeen, the beautiful city of silver granite, was frequently bombed.(3)
George was a great believer in brotherhood. For this reason he espoused many causes to promote his feelings in this regard. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became a staunch member.
In 1939, he was appointed president of the church branch in Aberdeen. He was given a blessing and a promise that if he would discharge his duties faithfully that his life would be protected and spared through the dark days which lay ahead. This he determined to do. For the next nine years every scheduled meeting was held under his direction. This record was not achieved by any other branch in Scotland. Sometimes only three or four came to the meetings because of the danger of falling bombs from air raids.(4)
Then came an incident which underscored the promise made to him. One night while at work in the shipyard, the boss of the small crew said, “Let’s call it a night and all go to the tavern.” All went except George. Being true to his trust and faithful to his beliefs, he went directly home. A little later an unscheduled single enemy plane flew over the city. There was no alarm sounded by siren. A bomb was dropped. The tavern was destroyed, taking the lives of all who were in it.
After coming to America, George continued his faithful service to his fellow man. He has served two local missions and at the time of his passing was acting in the capacity of first counselor to the High Priest Group Leader.
George leaves a rich legacy to his family and friends. Not one to be counted in dollars and cents, but one to be counted in character and culture. He was not privileged to have a son. However he was privileged to obtain two wonderful sons-in-law, Ina’s husband, Frank Slade, and Ella’s husband, Ralph Mitchell. And, in addition, he has been blessed with 10 grandchildren, five grandsons and five granddaughters. And thus he saw fulfilled in this posterity the paramount dream and goal of his life.
Also surviving, along with Katherine, are his [four] sisters, two in Scotland [Caroline and Marjorie], Ethel Grant of Mesa, and Elizabeth of Washington state, who is here today; and a brother, Jack, who resides in New Zealand.
To all of these survivors, I would like to say, Cherish the memory of this great individual. It will bring strength to you in time of trial and adversity, and comfort to you in all situations. You may be justly proud of your heritage. In the words of our Saviour, “Let not your hearts be troubled; for in my father’s house are many mansions, and I have prepared a place for you; and where my father and I am, there you shall be also.” Any sadness of farewell that we may feel this day will be more than compensated for in the future when there will be a happy reunion.
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Notes and Sources:
- Although Ella talks frequently of John Freestone having taught her parents when he was a missionary serving in Aberdeen, she couldn’t remember if he baptized them as well. I have a copy of Katherine’s baptism certificate so we know who baptized her, but I haven’t yet located George’s baptism certificate. But by piecing together details from the eulogy it’s now clear that they were baptized after John went home. John mentions that he returned to Arizona in 1931, and we know that Katherine was baptized on 11 June 1932 and George on 13 June 1932. For more details on George and Katherine’s conversion, see these blog posts: George and Kate Findlay Meet the Mormons (https://greatflyingscots.blogspot.com/2017/08/george-and-kate-findlay-meet-mormons.html); On the Banks of the River Dee (https://greatflyingscots.blogspot.com/2014/10/on-banks-of-river-dee-aberdeen.html)
- The scan of the eulogy is hard to make out in parts, and it seems that the date listed as George's arrival at the New York harbor is June 5, 1948. However, according to the passenger list of the S. S. Mauretania that we have, his arrival is listed as December 20, 1948, which also then fits with the timeframe of George arriving in Mesa on Christmas Eve, 1948. Read more about the Findlays emigration story here: https://greatflyingscots.blogspot.com/2014/10/across-oceans-and-continents_27.html
- Read more memories of WWII in these blog posts: At Home and Abroad: Family Members’ Military Service in WWII (https://greatflyingscots.blogspot.com/2014/05/at-home-and-abroad-family-members.html); The War Years: Air Raids, City and Countryside, and Strength in the Gospel (https://greatflyingscots.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-war-years-air-raids-city-and.html); Memories of Aberdeen During WWII (https://greatflyingscots.blogspot.com/2017/10/memories-of-aberdeen-during-wwii.html)
- Read more about the Findlays and the Aberdeen Branch in the 1930s and 1940s here: https://greatflyingscots.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-findlays-and-aberdeen-branch-in.html
