Jack Willard Finley, age 85, passed away on May 13, in his home following a 2 year battle with cancer. He was born June 26, 1938 in a little sod house on the eastern plains of Colorado to parents, Francis and Maudie (Claire) Finley. Jack was the last surviving child of Francis and Maudie. Jack was preceded in death by his sister Myrna Scruby, twin sisters Ilene Loftis and Arlene Marshall, and brother Duane Finley.
Jack’s father named him after two famous pugilists of the early 20th century, Jack Dempsey and Jess Willard. If you are reading this to one of Jackson’s firemen or golfing buddies, you will probably need to explain to them what a pugilist is. Go ahead… we’ll wait.
Jack married the love of his life, Leah Pearl Barnum, in March of 1960. They met at one of Colorado's’ most romantic hot spots, Gates Rubber Company. From the moment Jackson saw Pearl slinging fan belts, he knew she was the gal for him. Jack was the guy who supplied the bins of freshly made fan belts to the ladies on the sleeving line. Jackson gave Pearl the easiest belts to put sleeves on and the rest is just your average romantic love story. Pearl passed away in March of 2022, also losing her fight with cancer. Cancer is stupid. They spent their 50th wedding anniversary (2010) at the Jay Leno show. They were VIP guests in the green room with Heidi Klum and The Smashing Pumpkins. Jackson was relatively unimpressed with Heidi, but Billy Corgan and Jackson hit it off like old mates. Jackson liked how ‘down to earth’ that young man was…
Jack and Pearl raised 2 children, Dawna, and their ruggedly handsome son, Robbie. Dawna passed away in 2012. Robbie lives on, according to prophecy.
Some of Jackson's’ other folks:
Daughter in law-Kimberly ‘Kimmy’ (Romero) Finley
Grandchildren-Teri Coffman Trujillo, Richard Michael Finley, Robert Dale Dunlap
Great Grandchildren-Brooklyn Finley, Austin Finley, Michael Finley, Rachel (and Jake) Brown, and Derek Coffman
Great Great Grandchild-Colt Brown
“Jack Of All Trades” He even mastered a few.
Jack became a Denver Fireman in 1963 and attained the rank of Captain in the 1970’s. When he wasn’t fireman-ing, he might be found at one of his businesses that he owned throughout his lifetime. He owned a shoe store, an antique store, a car lot, a carpet installation/cleaning company, a golf course, and he built houses in his other spare time. He was rarely idle and he seriously wore the rest of us out. He said the worst job he had was skinning rabbits in high school to pay for a class ring and a high school yearbook. He lost track of both within a year after struggling to pay for them.
Jack loved to golf and even attained the honour of ‘shooting his age’ when he was 76 years old. He loved the game and the friends he made while playing throughout his years. He once said he was glad he didn't start golfing until he was in his early 40's cause he would have never gotten anything done, otherwise. Jack started a grassroots program to get donated (new and gently used) golf clubs and equipment to children on the Prairie Ridge Indian Reservation. While visiting friends in South Dakota in the early 2000’s he met some of his extended family members of the Lakota Sioux Nation. He saw that the children of the reservation had little to nothing to do in means of extracurricular activities. He felt their lack of things to do was detrimental to their childhood and just being kids. Jackson saw the need for these kiddos to have ‘something wonderful’ to do. He enlisted every friend and acquaintance to donate golf club 'stuff' to the program. He never took cash donations because he said it tainted the ideal. The program eventually extended from the Sioux Nation to other reservations from the Dakotas to Missouri, and Oklahoma. Within one decade, he was informed that the program had helped to produce a state golf champion. Go Thorpes!
If you were ever fortunate enough to have met Jackson, you would have loved him!
Services will be held at Ahlberg Funeral Home on Monday, June 17th, at 1pm.
A taco bar will follow, because well… tacos!
The service will also be streaming online if you are unable to attend. Did we mention tacos?
Link for service will be www.ckpmediaservices.com/live
A a celebration of life for Jack will be held Monday, June 17, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel, 326 Terry Street, Longmont, CO 80501, followed by a reception to follow from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
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