Carol Anne Findlay

Born on July 28, 1946, in Glasgow, Scotland, Carol was a Scotswoman through and through. She moved to the United States with her family at the age of 2, yet returned to her home country many times over the years, maintaining a deep connection to her Scottish roots, family legacy, and the traditions she treasured.

Carol was preceded in death by her sister, Sandra Xanthaky; her mother, Margaret Helen Findlay; and her father, Alexander Findlay. She is survived by her daughter, Cecelia Rose Peers; her son-in-law, Thomas Julian Peers; her granddaughter, Riley Rose Peers; and her brother Alistair Findlay. She left the earth with her daughter’s hand in hers, while her son-in-law and granddaughter gathered around her.

She graduated from Levittown Memorial High School and attended the University of Maryland, College Park, to become a paralegal. She joined the law firm of Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering, where an opportunity shaped the course of her professional life. Recruited to build the firm’s first computer network, she moved into the world of technology and went on to build a career of more than 25 years as a computer engineer for WCP and Blue Cross in Washington, D.C. Her professional journey reflected both her sharp mind, attention to detail, and skill in organization.

Carol’s life beyond work was full and vividly lived. She had an adventurous spirit and traveled widely throughout Europe, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa, and Alaska. She earned the nickname “Kamikaze Carol” as a skier who would often find the quickest way down the mountain. She was an avid sailor who most loved cruising the Chesapeake Bay, though her experience on the water also took her along the Intracoastal Waterway and to Puerto Rico. Sailing was not simply a pastime for Carol; it was one of the clearest expressions of her confidence, independence, and love of the natural world.

Carol was an amateur photographer, a calligrapher, and a family historian. She was well-read, quick-witted, and possessed a lively sense of whimsy and humor, balanced by great strength, practicality, and an impressive gift for organization. She was enamored by the earth and the heavens, marveling in the stars and sky and celebrating all creatures, great and small. These pleasures were not separate from her character but part of the way she moved through the world—with curiosity, attention, and delight.

Family and friends were at the center of Carol’s life. Carol rejoiced in hosting friends and family for gatherings that stretched well into the night. She played guitar and piano and sang, adding warmth and energy to the occasions she loved celebrating. She was a guide through life for Cecelia and a doting grandmother to Riley Rose. She was also a loyal friend and a loving “Dock Mom” to the family she found in the H-Dockers and her sailing community, where shared experience, affection, and enduring friendship shaped her journey.

Carol Anne Findlay will be remembered for her intelligence, humor, sense of adventure, musicality, hospitality, and steadfast love.

The close of her watch here on earth will be celebrated with an 8 bells ceremony, taking place at the Capital Yacht Club, 800 Wharf St, SW, Washington DC 20024 in the early evening of November 7th, 2026.