In Memory of: Robert L. Finley (1918-2008)

I needed to post some entries to help me with my formatting. And I wanted to post something significant- not just anything. Well I can't think of anything more significant than this. Bob was my step-dad though my sister and I both called him "Dad". He was in my life more than my biological father was and was a huge influence on me during my teens and 20s. So I decided that my first post would be in memory of him. In November 2007, right before Thanksgiving he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was close to 90 and the doctors didn't feel they could do anything given his condition and age. He died on January 21, 2008, just a few days after my sister got out of a special training program for her work. I had been up in Sacramento, and went to my sister's ceremony, as well as returned her cats so I was fortunate to be in that area. We both decided to go up to see him on Sunday, January 20 and we were very fortunate to see him before he died. I live in the Bay Area so it meant a lot to me to be there.

I remember drafting him a shirt pattern (which I will post about at a later time). This was the first pattern draft I had done and I am still very pleased with it. I made him all his shirts after that. He loved the pattern I made for him! For the first time his shirts fit! He had a bit of a belly, but was shorter than a lot of guys. So his fitting issue was that if he bought shirts that fit around his middle, the arms were WAAAAY too long. So he would always roll them up. So one day he said that he would love to have shirts that fit him properly and one of his birthdays I drafted him a pattern for his gift. I used that pattern to make him many shirts- which he wore right up until he died.

I am very thankful that I got to see him one last time before he died. I am very thankful that he was able to die at home rather than in a hospital (Hospice was GREAT!). I am thankful that he didn't spend a lot of time in the 'helpless' stage. He was able to talk to me at Christmas and I am so glad that I got to talk to him then. But I was (and am) not ready for him to be gone. I guess we are never ready for someone we care about to be gone though, yet death is part of life. One cannot exist without the other.

I picked the picture for his obituary and my sister wrote it.



Robert Lee Finley, born March 20, 1918, departed on January 21, 2008 at his home in Camino, California.

He served 4 years in the U.S. Army during WWII with the 18^th Coast Artillery, 2^nd Battalion, where he received an American Defense Service Ribbon, a WWII Victory Ribbon, an American Theater Ribbon and a Good Conduct Medal, as well as letters of commendation. He worked for 24 years as a Civil Servant with the U.S. Government at the Presidio in San Francisco and was a member of the American Legion and Teamster’s.

Bob was known for his gentle spirit and practical outlook on life. He loved to drive, fish, and watch television and movies. He was preceded in death by his parents, Archie and Carolyn and his first wife, Betty.

Much loved and deeply missed, he is survived by his wife of 25 years, Barbara, sons, Larry and Eddy, stepson, Butch, stepdaughters, Jo and Nicola, six grand-children, and 10 great-grandchildren.

At the request of the deceased, no services will be held. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to Snowline Hospice, 6520 Pleasant Valley Road, Diamond Springs, CA 95619. Interment will be at the Westwood Hills Memorial Park in Placerville.