Obituary of Alvin Finley

Alvin Leslie Finley passed away peacefully on April 27, 2016 at the age of 90 years. He will be forever missed and loved by his wife of 68 years Mary, daughters Marilyn, Gail, Judy and son-in-law Miles, daughter-in-law Maureen (Dennis), grandchildren Steven, Darren (Dawn), Lisa (Kurt), Kerri, Joshua (Alicia), Megan (Daniel) and 13 great grandchildren. He is also survived by one sister Bernice, sisters-in-law Carol Finley, Kath Finley, Doris Nield, Evelyn Lone and Audrey Lone, along with many nieces, nephews and friends. Al was predeceased by daughter Diane, son Lyle, parents Kenneth and Emily, two sisters Ruth Kinnaird and Muriel Johnston and four brothers Carl, Ken, Ross and infant brother Melvin. Born on December 20, 1925 at Mowbray, MB to Ken & Emily Finley, Al was the second youngest of eight children. Raised on a farm close to the U.S. border, he spent his youth working on the family farm and later also for neighbors for very little pay. Alvin joined the Navy at the young age of 17 where he was stationed on Corvette ships, first in Halifax and then guarding submarine nets at Prince Rupert. After the war, he married his childhood sweetheart Mary Lone, on August 23, 1947 and moved to Winnipeg. At that time he didn't have a career and discovered that bricklayers earned a fair wage and that's what he decided to be. He built his first fireplace by watching someone else build one. A year later they welcomed daughter Marilyn. Al and Mary decided to explore opportunities on the west coast and moved to North Vancouver in the fall of 1948. Daughter Diane was born there in 1949 and son Lyle followed in 1951. In late 1951 they moved the family to Nanaimo where Al and his brother Ken built a duplex. Judy was born there in 1953 and shortly after, Al and Mary decided the prospects were better in Alberta so they moved to Stettler in the summer of 1953. They couldn't find anything to rent, so Al built a two room house on skids, and in 1954 they moved the house from Stettler to South Edmonton where Gail was born the same year. Al was away working in northern Alberta for weeks at a time so his time with family was special when he came home. He built an all brick house in south Edmonton and we were all excited to have a cement basement where we could ride our bikes when it was cold outside. Even though he was working six days a week, he always made sure to make an ice rink on the garden in winter and took the family camping in summer in the home-made tent trailer he built. Al started his own masonry business, Finley Masonry Ltd. in Edmonton in 1958. Al and Mary always believed the best move they ever made was to Camrose in 1963 where they made lifelong friends, and, over the years, built a successful reputation as a trusted contractor. Much of his work can be seen, not only in Camrose, but throughout central and northern Alberta. Although he retired in 1978 at the age of 53, Al could still be found laying brick and stone well into his 80's. Al and Mary spent many wonderful years of retirement. Golfing, camping, fishing and hunting were favorite past times. They travelled extensively and spent many happy winters in Arizona. Family was most important to Al and spending time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren was his greatest joy. A Funeral Service was held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 3, 2016 from Camrose United Church with Rev. Alan Richards officiating. Inurnment has taken place in the Camrose Cemetery. If family and friends so desire, memorial contributions are gratefully accepted to Ducks Unlimited, Heart and Stroke Foundation, or to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.