Victor Leroy Finster III, BHS 1959

Victor Leroy Finster III, BHS 1959

April 28, 1941  -  April 28, 2021 

Victor Leroy Finster III, beloved husband and father, passed away at home on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, on his 80th birthday. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, May 3, 2021 in the Billings Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in the Elmwood Cemetery. The funeral will be broadcast live on the funeral home website and the funeral home Facebook page.

Vic was born on April 28, 1941 in Hollywood, California. After graduating from Burbank High School, he attended Glendale College, where he took a two-year course in technical illustration. His first marriage, to Kristin Aud Rasmussen, resulted in two children, Vic and Jill. After their divorce he married Linda Joyce Austin in 1976, with whom he was united until his death. He worked first as a technical illustrator and then later as Art Director of Hughes Aircraft Missile Systems Group, where he managed 20-some artists, oversaw a million dollar a year budget, and was involved in top secret military projects.

In 1983 Vic and Linda moved to Woodward County, Oklahoma, where Linda's parents lived. After a few years of getting settled in their country home, Vic began his second career at Oklahoma's Action Rehabilitation Centers. He worked at a variety of jobs there, ending up running the woodshop. He retired after 29 years at the age of 77.

In his spare time Vic loved reading his Kindle and building things. He made model boats and airplanes, and once built a full-size wooden sailboat and taught himself to sail.

Vic remained active in the Seventh-day Adventist church throughout his adult life. In addition to his role as a church elder, he also helped many years in the children's classes. He loved the children, and they loved him back. Although at first meeting he might seem quiet and reserved, people quickly discovered his neverending sense of humor, his kindness, and his generousity.

He is survived by his wife Linda of 44 years of the home, his son Victor Leroy Finster IV of California; his daughter Jill Marie McElroy and spouse Tom of California; his granddaughter Sigrid Elizabeth Sanoja and spouse Luis, his grandson Patrick Victor McManus, three great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Erik and Samuel Sanoja, all of California; and many nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Victor LeRoy Finster II and Beatrice (Kiehl) Finster, as well as his brothers Lawrence Allen Finster, who died as an infant, and Grant Henry Finster, who died in 2018.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Seventh Day Adventist Church with the funeral home accepting the contributions.

Published online at Billings Funeral Home, Oklahoma.