Robert “Bob” Earl Findlay

Robert Earl Findlay, age 94, died peacefully at IU Medical at 4:27am, June 23, 2025, following a brief hospital stay. Bob was born at home on May 9, 1931, in Lafayette, IN, to Edwin and Blanch (Miller) Findlay. He married Norma Lister Findlay in 1948, with whom they shared four sons: Terry, (wife Georgia), Don, (wife Dottie), Jeff, (wife Linda), and Wayne (wife, Linda). Norma preceded him in death in 2021.
In 1973, Bob married Dolores Thomas Findlay, and together they shared 43 happy years of matrimony prior to her passing in 2017. Having three girls from a prior marriage: Melanie Findlay Braswell, (husband Stewart), Marla Findlay Brand (husband Kevin), and Maria Findlay Drake (husband Brent), Dolores and Bob formed their own version of a real-life “Brady Bunch” by combining their collective offspring into a single family.
Having a huge appreciation for water sports and activities, free time and weekends were spent boating and skiing with the entire family at Lake Freeman and hosting Annual Labor Day hog roasts. Bob also had a passion for travel.
Of course, anyone who ever met Bob was well aware of the fact he never worked a day in his life. Rather, he spent nearly 80 years playing with his larger- than-life toys that he amassed as the owner/operator of Findlay Drilling, a company he began working at when he was 16 years of age. Originally owned by his father-in-law, Harold Lister, Bob would eventually buy Lister Drilling outright and after Harold’s death, Lister & Findlay became Findlay Drilling, a company in which all four sons would go on to follow in Bob’s footsteps as legacy well drillers themselves. Bob grew Findlay Drilling into an international success, often taking his drilling equipment overseas to do jobs that only he could or dared to tackle. At the young age of 90, Bob, along with son Jeff, finally sold the company and retired, but it still carries his well-known name. During his long tenure at the helm of the company, Bob was also a well-known figure in both the state and national well drillers associations, serving on numerous committees and as president multiple times.
Bob likewise possessed a keen interest in antique automobiles and over the course of the last several years he and Dolores were active in the Lafayette, IN Historic Auto Club (LIHAC), and they travelled extensively around the country via antiques with fellow club members showing their cars to other enthusiasts, attending swap meets, participating in parades, and enjoying the fellowship of their many friends in the club.
All who loved Bob respected him deeply. Moreover, having been in such a public-facing role in the community for nearly all his life, it was impossible to go anywhere with Bob that someone did not approach to stop and say hello, and he never knew a stranger—that was his way. Those who knew him best always knew it was, “Bob’s way or the highway,” and he lived his life independently and to the fullest until the very end.
Bob is survived by his 7 children, Terry (Georgia) Findlay, Don (Dottie) Findlay, Jeff (Linda) Findlay, Wayne (Linda) Findlay, Melanie (Stewart) Braswell, Marla (Kevin) Brand, and Maria (Brent) Drake; 15 grandchildren, Matthew Findlay, Elizabeth Findlay, Joel Findlay, Tobi Summers, Drew Findlay, Heather Kannal, Dustin Findlay, Nicole Noel, Angela Gleitz, Geoffrey Martin, Brandon Martin, Wesley Martin, Josh Newberry, and Shelby Dunscomb; 20 great-grandchildren, Cody Summers, Justin Summers, Jordan Martin, Sydney Findlay, Macy Findlay, Jude Kannal, Burgen Kannal, Spencer Kannal, Zachary Kannal, Liam Findlay, Quinn Findlay, Drew Noel, Avery Noel, Thomas Gleitz, Austin Gleitz, Patrick Martin, Addison Martin, Karoline Newberry, Kennedy Newberry, and Eden Dunscomb; 2 great-great grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Blanch and Edwin; older brother, Sonny and younger brother, Max; and grandson, Jason Findlay
Memorial contributions in Bob’s name may be given to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.
Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at Soller-Baker, Lafayette Chapel, 400 Twyckenham Blvd, Lafayette, IN 47909.
Funeral Service at 10:00 am, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at Soller-Baker, Lafayette Chapel, 400 Twyckenham Blvd., Lafayette, IN 47909
Entombment Immediately following with antique auto escort by members of LIHAC Car Club to Tippecanoe Memory Gardens, 1718 West 350 North, West Lafayette, IN 47906.
All are invited to attend a luncheon at Stidham United Methodist Church, 5300 South 175, West in Lafayette, IN 47906 following graveside services.