Carlene Finlay

Carlene Ann (Wetter) Finlay was born on August 9, 1935 in Durango, CO to Carl and Irene (Long) Wetter. She was a life time Durango resident and died peacefully in her home on July 7, 2015.
Carlene was a life time member of the Saint Columba Catholic Church, served as a Eucharist minister, led the Rosary on Saturday nights and was a member of the Catholic Daughters in Durango, CO.
Carlene graduated Durango High School in 1955. In March 1958, she joined the U.S. Women Army Corp (WAC). While serving in the WAC, she married a fellow soldier, Richard Finlay. Carlene and Richard were the first two U.S. military personnel married in West Berlin, Germany in 1959. Their first two daughters, Angalene and Joanna were born in West Berlin, Germany. In 1962, the family returned to the United States being in Ft. Ord, CA. their third daughter Valerie was born in 1965. The marriage ended in 1972 whereupon Carlene and the girls had moved home to Durango, CO.
Carlene’s families were pioneers of the Durango and Silverton area as far back as 1876. Prior to the establishment of Durango, the Daum’s and Wetter’s were immigrants from Austria and Germany.
In 1917, Alfred Long moved his family from Rosa, New Mexico to Durango, CO. The Long’s heritage is Welsh and English colonial immigrants. The earliest documented ancestor to America was a 25 year old Welshman transported as the prisoner of the crown for participating in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1714. His offspring and theirs’ later served as soldiers in the Revolutionary War, the war of 1912, and many other conflicts in our early nation. The Wetter children are the great grandchildren of Elisha Van Buren Long. Judge Long was a longtime Judge in Northern Indiana. Judge Long was later appointed Chief Justice of New Mexico Territory by President Grover Cleveland. Judge Long served in that appointment from 1885 to 1889. After the appointment ended Judge Long served on as a lawyer and adviser to the New Mexico settlers. Judge Long’s home was in Las Vegas, NM until his death. Judge Long and his wife are buried in Las Vegas, NM.
Carlene is preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Irene, and stepbrother Howard Pedersen, sister Susanna Lewis of Belen, NM, whom departed us on November 20, 2014.
She is survived by her three daughters; Angalene Finlay aka (Skrondahl) of Albuquerque, NM, Joanna and her husband John Griffith of Durango, CO and Valerie and her husband Jote Rudibaugh of Poolville, TX. Grandchildren; Irene and Josh Skrondahl, Star Lynn Walcott, Jazmine and Reanna Griffith, April, Virginia and Jens Rudibaugh. Great-granchildren; Vincent and Destaine Walcott, Siblings; Retired Marine LT. Col. John Wetter, wife Elisa and family of Fallbrook, CA, Alice Rae, husband Keith Miller and family of Albuquerque,NM, Bill (Billy) Pedersen, wife Corine and family of Durango, CO, stepbrother Jens (Buddy) Pedersen, of Yuma, AZ, stepsister Trudy French ( Pedersen) of Grand Junction, CO, and extended family.
A rosary will be said at Saint Columba Catholic Church on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at 7pm
A Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Columba Catholic Church on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 at 10am.