Col. William Finnerty II

Col. William Joseph Finnerty II (USAF, Ret.)

August 9, 1920 ~ August 17, 2017

Col. William Joseph Finnerty II (USAF, Ret.) of Ogden passed away in St. George UT on August 17, 2017, of causes incident to age. He was born in Sterling ID on August 9, 1920, to William Joseph Finnerty and Helena Sommercorn Finnerty and raised primarily in Ashton ID and Ogden UT.

He graduated from Ogden High School in 1938 with the first graduating class of the then new “million-dollar school.” He then attended Weber College and Utah State University prior to America’s entry into WWII.

He joined the US Army Air Corps in early 1942 and was stationed in England for the duration of the war working with the British in the development of RADAR. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army while in England and, following WWII, transitioned to the United States Air Force where he served a distinguished 30-year career, retiring in June 1972. During his military career, he served various assignments including command of the 5th Aviation Depot Squadron, Sidi Slimane Air Base, Morocco, Chief of Electronics Branch at Strategic Air Command headquarters, Offutt AFB, near Omaha, Nebraska, Deputy Commander of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, at Forbes AFB in Topeka, Kansas, Commander of the 548th Strategic Missile Squadron (Atlas missiles) in Kansas, and Deputy Commander of the 4258th Strategic Air Wing in U-Tapao, Thailand.

During his military service, he attended the Command and Staff School and the Air War College while on two assignments in Montgomery, Alabama, along with required courses of study from Georgetown University.

In the summer of 1941, he went to the old Berthana skating rink in Ogden on a Friday or Saturday night. He noticed a young lady and asked a mutual friend who she was.  Although her name was Albertha Ann Clark, she was introduced to him as “Feef,” her nickname of many, many years. Returning to his apartment after the evening, he told his roommates that “I think I met the girl I’m going to marry.” Four years later, on June 22, 1945, upon returning from England following V-E day, he married his beloved Feef. They were married 63 years before her passing in May 2008.

Following his retirement from the military in 1972, he and Feef spent their years travelling throughout the world. He visited all of seven continents (yes, including Antarctica), some many times. They traveled the AlCan Highway to Alaska on a least four separate occasions. They found and enjoyed interesting people and exciting adventures wherever they went.

Following Feef’s passing, he often travelled across the U.S. and Canada with his daughter Jolene and her husband Stan.

He and Feef had two children – William (Bill) Joseph Finnerty III, born April 5, 1946, in Ogden UT, and Jolene Marie Finnerty Stoll, born November 26, 1948, in Albuquerque, NM. They enjoyed being raised as Air Force brats living in New Mexico, Mississippi, New York, Texas, Alabama, Morocco, Nebraska, Alabama again, and Kansas while growing up.  Every new move was considered an adventure.

His lovely wife, Feef, and son, Bill, preceded him in death.  Survivors are daughter-in-law, Patricia Finnerty, Ft. Collins CO, daughter Jolene Stoll, son-in-law Stan Stoll, St. George UT; grandchildren, Jill Finnerty (Bryan) Devlin, Eaton CO, Douglas (Angela) Stoll, Walnut Creek CA, Daniel (Neda) Stoll, Los Gatos CA, David Stoll, Seattle WA, and Darren (Michelle) Stoll, Provo UT; and great-grandchildren, Gavin, Payton, and Tyson Devlin and Drew, William, Arshan, Amitis, and Joseph Stoll. He is also survived by his one sister, Lucille Finnerty Stephens, Ogden UT, five nephews and one niece.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may visit with family on Wednesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the mortuary. Interment, Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd., Ogden UT.