Finlay L. Matheson

MATHESON, FINLAY L., age 97, died at his South Miami home on September 12, 2013. He will always be remembered by family and friends as fun loving with a wonderful laugh and a quick sense of humor. A true gentleman, he treated everyone he met with kindness and respect. Never one to complain, he focused on the positive and lived a full life, jumping at every opportunity that came his way. Finlay was born on August 27, 1916. He was the grandson of W.J. Matheson, an early Coconut Grove pioneer and an owner of a majority of land on Key Biscayne. Each generation shared a history of generosity, philanthropy and service to Miami-Dade County. W.J. Matheson donated the property for Matheson Hammock, and Finlay's father, Hugh M. Matheson, gave land for Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. Finlay was raised in Coconut Grove, and Biscayne Bay was his playground. He attended high school at the Newman School in New Jersey, and graduated from Georgetown University. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Commanding Officer of a patrol boat in the Aleutian Islands and in Key West. He married Lucretia "Cree" Brooks in 1941 and raised three boys in South Miami, where Finlay continued to live for more than 70 years. A passion for boats was a constant throughout Finlay's life. He spent every spare moment on the water, enjoying Biscayne Bay and exploring the Bahamas. At age 18, he cruised up the East Coast in his own sailboat to Maine. He was a former Commodore of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club and The Seal Harbor Yacht Club. Finlay was also a founding member of the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, and a long-standing member of the Cruising Club of America. He had a great love for animals, and in 1984 he opened the Acadia Animal Park in Trenton, Maine, creating an interactive petting zoo and a wild animal rescue center. At his home in South Miami, he raised numerous animals and birds, including rheas and emus. One faithful emu still stands sentinel outside the living room window of his home. Always experimenting, Finlay also grew orchids, palms and native plants. He was a generous supporter of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens. Finlay was preceded in death by his wife, Lucretia "Cree" Brooks and his three brothers, William, Hugh Jr. and R. Hardy. He is survived by his three sons, Finlay B., J. Henry and Michael M., their wives, respectively, Joan, Lisille and Ann, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Services will be held on Thursday, September 19, 2013 at the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, 2540 S. Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove at 5 pm.