JOHN HUSTON FINLEY III

1936 - 2021

FINLEY, John Huston III Age 84, of Chestnut Hill, MA, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2021. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Margot Gerrity Finley, his three children: John Huston Finley, IV (and his husband, Carl Stanley "Stan" McGee), Charlotte Finley Maynard (and her husband, Todd Taft Maynard), and Samuel Wallace Finley (and his wife, Natalie Dalton Finley), as well as by his six grandchildren: Samantha West Maynard, Charles Mathes Maynard & Magdalena Taft Maynard and Eloise Hendry Finley, John Harry Finley & Samuel Wallace Finley, Jr. Born in Boston, MA, on March 25, 1936, to Magdalena Greenslet Finley and John H. Finley, Jr., John grew up with his younger sister, Corinna Finley Hammond, in what he fondly referred to as the People's Republic of Cambridge, initially on Appian Way and then for many years in Eliot House at Harvard, where his father was a legendary House Master. Summers were spent largely outdoors surrounded by family in Tamworth, NH. The Finleys were a bookish family, but John took a different path. Early work in a garage led later to racing Formula V's, motorcycling adventures on a series of no less than nine Harley Davidsons, and a modest car collection. An enthusiastic athlete, John also enjoyed many sports including tennis, sailing, golf, skiing, and hockey (including one time on the ice against Bobby Orr). After graduating from Harvard College, John served in the Army Reserves and worked as a stockbroker before returning to Harvard for business school. With his freshly minted MBA, he joined National Realty Corp., but not for long. He was destined to be his own boss and soon started his own real estate company, the aptly named Creative Development. To varying degrees, all his children learned something about construction there, along with many other young people who had never picked up a hammer. Today, Creative is led by his daughter, Charlotte, who worked side-by-side with him for years. John loved his business, but above all else he was a family man. Whether bundling the kids into the car for weekends in Waitsfield, VT, at "Toad Hall" or presiding over a house overflowing with friends in York Harbor, ME (where he had an impressive vegetable garden), or expanding a fisherman's shack in Boca Grande, FL, to accommodate visiting children and grandchildren or making time for family trips to special spots from Kenya to Tonga, John did everything for his family. Blessed with almost boundless energy, he also supported innumerable eleemosynary institutions and served on many boards, including two of his alma maters (Dexter School and Groton School), the York Harbor Reading Room, the Agamenticus Yacht Club (as Commodore), Nativity Preparatory School, the Vestry of the Church of the Redeemer in Chestnut Hill, and Rogerson House, which gave him excellent care in his final days. He also served on Harvard's Happy Committee and was the Secretary for his class (the "Great '58") and as the graduate president of the AD Club, where he had so many good times. John belonged to The Country Club in Brookline, where he served on the Buildings & Grounds Committee and extolled the virtues of duct tape. He also had many dear friends in the Tavern Club in Boston, where he took to the stage and helped build sets. Despite his occasionally gruff exterior and unbelievably short fuse, John was the best friend anyone could ever have, fiercely loyal and lots of fun. He was the life of the party, whipping up "rum wonders," organizing volleyball games, and launching the "All Girl Kazoo Band" and the South Boston Racquet Club, which was not in South Boston and did not have racquets, but which did hold some spectacular events. The Finley family deeply appreciates the support family and friends gave to John in his last years. The Burial Service will be private, but the family looks forward eagerly to a wonderful party when that is possible. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to charity. Bell-O'Dea Funeral Home 617-277-7652 www.bellodeafuneralhome.com