Jack Norman Finch

1923 - 2010

Mr. Jack Norman Finch, 87, of Bartlesville, died at 12:05 P.M. Thursday, September 30, 2010 at the Heritage Villa Nursing Center.
Jack Norman Finch was born near Esbon, Kansas in Jewell County on September 26, 1923. He was the oldest child of Benjamin F. and Blanche Black Finch. He was a descendent of four Kansas pioneer families.
His survivors include his wife Sarah, daughter Constance Finch and her husband Roy Bevington, daughter Carol L. MacSpadden, grandson Benjamin E. MacSpadden, and brother Garry L. Finch. He is also survived by two step-grandchildren Scott R. Bevington and Kathryn S. Bevington. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Geraldine Finch Larsen.
He spent his youth in Jewell County Kansas where he graduated from Ionia Rural High School as class valedictorian of the class in 1941. He attended Fort Hays Kansas State College (now Fort Hays State University) from 1941-43. He enlisted in the US Army Reserve Corp December 15, 1942. He served on active duty with US Army Air Corp until March 1946.
In 1946 he met Sarah Mae Fort of Ulysses, Kansas and they were married August 10, 1947 in the First Methodist Church of Ulysses. To this union two daughters were born, Constance Anne and Carol Lynne.
After earning his BS and MS Degrees from Fort Hays State University in 1948 and 1949 respectively Finch taught chemistry at Northern Oklahoma College, Tonkawa; Northeastern State College at Tahlequah and at Kansas State College (now Kansas State University) Manhattan, KS. He received his PhD from Kansas State University in February 1957. His thesis study was on the "Temperature Dependence of the Hydrogen Bond".
He joined Research and Development of Phillips Petroleum Company in August 1956 and worked there until his retirement in 1985. His research interests included molecular structure studies by infrared spectroscopy, catalysis and alternate fuel studies.
He was an Emeritus Member of the American Chemical Society receiving his 50 year pin in 2004. He was elected to membership for Phi Kappa Phi in 1946 and to Sigma Xi in 1954. Other honors include nomination for inclusion in the 1948-49 Edition of Who's Who Among Students in American universities and Colleges and is included in several editions of the American Men of Science.
Jack became a member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in 1972 and served as lay reader and on the vestry as well as various committees during those years.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Salvation Army, 101 N. Bucy, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 74003.
Memorial services for Mr. Finch will be held at 11 A.M. Monday, October 4, 2010 at the St. Luke's Episcopal Church with Father T. Lee Stephens officiating. Cremation arrangements were under the direction of the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory.