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June 5, 2025
Lt. Col. Samuel L. Finklea III
Lexington Composite Squadron
South Carolina Wing
Samuel L. Finklea, III, born August 18, 1946, died very unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. The oldest of four, he was the son of Samuel L. Finklea, Jr, and Mary Osborn Finklea.
Growing up in Columbia, he graduated from Lower Richland High School and then from Duke University where he studied physics. After taking a short break from school to enlist in the South Carolina Air National Guard, Sam completed his Master's degree and PHD in nuclear physics from the University of South Carolina. While working at the Department of Health and Environmental Control, he became frustrated with having to rely on lawyers to speak for him during legal cases, so he attended law school at USC while continuing to work full-time at DHEC and then moved to the DHEC legal department where he could combine both areas of expertise most effectively. Following his retirement from DHEC (over 50 years), he continued as an advisor developing plans and evaluating state response to widespread emergencies such as weather-related disasters, earthquakes, the COVID pandemic, etc.
In addition to his academic brilliance, Sam was interested and knowledgeable in many diverse topics, constantly surprising his family and colleagues and able to provide useful information at the most unexpected moments on the most astonishing range of subjects. "One eight hundred – call Sam" became a family joke since we said it so often. If Sam didn't know the answer, he knew where to find it quickly.
When the Air National Guard partnered with several eastern European countries to help develop military programs, Sam volunteered to deploy to Albania for six months. In addition to working with the Albanian Air Force, however, Sam also saw the need for and provided education and resources to help the Albanian government improve water processing and other environmental and legal issues.
Sam completed a successful career in the SCANG where his wide-spread expertise in many areas proved vital in developing, improving, and evaluating response to emergencies. In 2003, he retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a Colonel.
Sam greatly enjoyed travel (especially to France and Pawley's Island beach), flying with the Civil Air Patrol (South Carolina Wing), working at the family-owned tree farm, running with the Columbian Hash House Harriers running club, experimenting with distilling and tasting wine, reading and learning, etc.
Sam is survived by his long-time significant and beloved companion, Charlotte M. McCreary; his brother, Dr. Harry O. Finklea (Liz) of Morgantown, WV; his sisters, Janet F. Noble (Dick) of Hopkins, SC, and Jacqueline F. Finklea (Glen Adams) of Columbia; nieces, Sarah Finklea (Stephen Glicken), Mamie Adams and Jannie Adams; step-nephew, Rick Noble (Kim); great-nephews, (Rowan Adams, Thomas Glicken, William Glicken, Jackson Noble); great-nieces, Maisie Glicken, Cleo Toland, Imogene Toland, and Katie Noble. He was predeceased by his parents and by his niece, Katie Toland (John).