Dolores Finley

FINLEY, DOLORES Dolores (Dee) Hale Finley was born on January 12, 1921 in Denver Colorado to Moses and Grace Hale. She attended Denver Public Schools and University of Colorado where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Dolores earned her Masters degree from the University of Denver. After college, Dolores and Harry Groves were married and to that union one son, Sheridon, was born. Dolores' teaching career began at R. T. Coles Vocational School in Kansas City, Missouri and continued for two years before moving to Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to teach art. Upon returning to Denver, Dee was hired as a health educator for the Denver Tuberculosis Society and before getting her first teaching assignment at Manual High School, Dolores worked for the Air Force Finance Center. When the Black Panthers demanded the school board hire more black administrators, Dolores was appointed Dean of Girls at Cole Junior High School. During her tenure, she served at Cole, Kunsmiller, Gove and Hamilton Junior High Schools and was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors. She retired from Denver Public Schools in 1982. Dolores was preceded in death by her late husband, L.C. David Finley, parents, Moses and Grace Hale, and sister, Myra Hale. Over the years, Dee enjoyed world-wide travel with her sister. She visited Alaska, Bankok, Cambodia, South America and Thailand where her sister Grace and brother-in-law George Jordan were stationed. Dee and her sister Francestook a trip to Hawaii which was particularly memorable, she loved traveling and taking cruises. One proud moment in Dolores' life was to be a West Point mother and to attend Sheridon's graduation from the military academy at West Point located in New York. Dolores is a golden member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Zion Baptist Church, Denver Pubic Schools Retired Teachers Association, The Denver Metro Art Club, the Denver Art Guild, and Coterie. She is survived by her son, Dr. Sheridon H.(Connie) Groves (California); sisters, Grace Jordan and Frances Mozetta Currin (Denver); Step-daughter, Angela Finley Milton (Michigan); grandson, Attys. Jason (Athena) Groves (Maryland); granddaughters, Tiffany Groves Vickers (Virginia); Dolores Groves (Texas); four great-grandchildren; nephew, Marc Currin (California); great-niece, Marcella Currin (Denver); step-niece, Diane Sutton (District of Columbia); close friend, Connie Jackson and many other devoted friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the L. C. David Finley and Dolores Hale Finley Scholarship Foundation. Memorial service today, 2:00 p. m. at Fairmount's Little Ivy Chapel.