Jack Finlayson died at War Memorial Hospital on March 23, 2006. He was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan on May 9, 1919 to Donald and Margaret (Raeburn) Finlayson.Jack was a Sault native who, as a youth, enjoyed many adventures with his fellow "Veteran Greenhorns." After graduating from Sault High School, he attended Michigan State University until World War II interrupted his studies. During his three years in the Army Air Corps, he served as a flight instructor and B29 flight engineer.
Following World War II, Jack returned to the Sault and after working for several years at Northwestern Leather Company, he began a long banking career. Starting as a teller at First National Bank, he advanced through the ranks to become President and then Chairman of the Board, retiring in 1980. Throughout his career, Jack devoted many hours to a number of community groups. He served as Central United Methodist Church treasurer for ten years, Bayliss Public Library board member for eight years and contributed his time and expertise to many other civic groups, including Boy Scouts, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, and Sault Historic Sites.
Jack was a very active person who pursued a wide variety of interests, including flying airplanes, cross-country skiing, canoeing, sailing, hiking, and traveling. He particularly enjoyed spending summers at his beloved cabin near Birch Point, where he never tired of walking the beach and watching the shipping traffic navigate the upper St. Mary's River.
Surviving Jack are his wife Frances, his daughter Anne (Bill) Courtois of Ann Arbor, Michigan, his daughter-in-law Karen Finlayson of Grand Blanc, Michigan, his granddaughters Elizabeth Courtois, Mouse Courtois, Valerie Finlayson, and Janet Finlayson, his sisters Betty Nassoiy of Birch Point Beach and Gene "Bubs" (Harry) Regenstreif of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his son James and his brother Donald.
Cremation has taken place. Services will be held next summer. In lieu of flowers memorials may be left to the Sault Theatre Project, Central United Methodist Church, or the Little Traverse Conservancy.