Mary Findlay was posthumously honored with the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Civilian Hall of Fame Lt. Gen. Bill Harrison Service Award March 28 during a ceremony at the American Lake Conference Center on JBLM North.
Findlay, who passed away Dec. 1, 2018, was the founder of Suits for Service Members, a program at JBLM which helps service members who are transitioning from the military to the civilian work force. Her contributions to JBLM, including volunteering about 180 hours a month, span seven years.
"There are very few people I've met who have shown that compassion and care for the Soldiers and their families," said Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky, I Corps commanding general, who officiated the event with a group of JBLM civic leaders and several members of the JBLM Civilian Hall of Fame. "And although she can't be with us today, we honor her memory by inducting her into the JBLM Civilian Hall of Fame. We will never forget the examples she set or all that she gave to our Soldiers and families. She will forever be part of our family."
Findlay's daughter, Sarah Zenz, attended the induction ceremony to accept the award and recognition on her mother's behalf.
"I just want to thank you, everyone, so much for recognizing my mother," Zenz said. "My mom loved the community and helping everyone. It means so much to see her being honored this way. And it's true, my mother never liked to talk about herself; she always liked to talk about service and helping others. This would just mean so much to her to be recognized this way."
The JBLM Civilian Hall of Fame Lt. Gen. Bill Harrison Service Award was established in 2003. It recognizes one or more community members annually who have contributed to the community as a civilian for three or more years, and who, through their efforts, made an exceptional impact on service members, military families or the JBLM community.
In 2015 the hall of fame award was named for retired Lt. Gen. William H. Harrison who served as the commander of I Corps at JBLM from 1987 to 1989, and who became the first mayor of the City of Lakewood in 1995. Harrison was inducted into the JBLM Civilian Hall of Fame with the second class of inductees in 2005.
Mary Findlay is the 25th inductee into the JBLM Civilian Hall of Fame.
Past inductees include (listed by title or position at the time of the award):
2016 -- John and Margaret Farrell, Farelli's and McNamara's restaurants
2016 -- John Caulfield, city manager, City of Lakewood
2015 -- Amy Tiemeyer, America's Credit Union, Association of the United States Army
2014 -- Joan Shalikashvili, USO, Puget Sound
2013 -- Carlene Joseph, Harborstone Credit Union, AUSA
2012 -- Tamara Jenkins, mayor, City of DuPont
2012 -- Ken Swarner, Swarner Communications
2011 -- Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Herb Schmeling, USO, AUSA, Sergeants Major Association, Fisher House
2011 -- Janice Buckley, Operation Homefront
2010 -- Mike Fried, volunteer, 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
2010 -- Denise Dhane, Operation Make A Soldier Smile
2010 -- Vicky Mohler, Support America's Armed Forces, Operation Santa
2007 -- Nadine Gulit, Operation Support Our Troops
2007 -- Al Eckroth, Military Family Support March (Lacey)
2006 -- Kathy Turner, mayor, City of Puyallup
2006 -- Marion Sydenham-Ball, volunteer, Lewis Army Museum
2005 -- Dick Muri, councilmember, Pierce County
2005 -- Rep. Adam Smith, U.S. Representative
2005 -- Retired Lt. Gen. Bill Harrison, mayor, City of Lakewood
2004 -- Mark Foutch, mayor, City of Olympia
2004 -- Ron Lucas, mayor, Town of Steilacoom
2004 -- Richard Beaver, deputy mayor, City of Lacey
2004 -- Doc Hastings, U.S. Representative
2004 -- Norm Dicks, U.S. Representative
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