Robert Wilson Finlay III

FINLAY III., ROBERT WILSON, 55, of Ormond Beach, Fla., died peacefully at Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville on December 9. He was the husband of Diane Parks Finlay. He was born in Radford, Va., on August 26, 1955, the first son and fifth child of the late U.S. Navy Captain Robert Wilson Finlay Jr. and the late Ruth Mildred Devine Finlay. As a Navy junior, Robert spent his growing-up years in numerous states and Puerto Rico. He graduated from Antilles High School, in Ft. Buchanan, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, in 1973, and four years later from Florida's St. Leo College. Robert spent the last 25 years of his career serving the municipality of the City of Daytona Beach in its water-treatment plant. His superintendent spoke very highly of him, saying Robert had the best attitude of any of his workers. Rock and roll made so profound an impression on Robert that he wrote literally hundreds of songs during his lifetime, many of which he recorded. Rob had been in the audience at the infamous Altamont festival. Enthralled, he became a lifelong fan of the Rolling Stones. He found inspiration in Jim Morrison, another poetic son of a naval officer. While Rob admired John Lennon, Rob's own lyrical approach held to the pedigree of simplicity found in Paul McCartney. Rob's music served his lyrics, for above all he was a poet-driven to write about love, gambling, rodeo clowns, dogs with fleas, cats from outer space, and divine providence. His was the magical reality of his yearnings and the heartbeat of his everyday experiences. He viewed an occasionally dark world through innocent eyes, yet never lost his faith. He was sensitive, he was a dreamer, and he was as generous a soul as any ever created. Fame may not have appreciated his quiet stoicism, and for that the world has lost a passionate voice it never knew it had. Robert was predeceased last year by his brother John Matthew
Devine (Jack) Finlay. He is survived by his sisters Catherine Samose, of Redding, Conn., Leslie Finlay, of New London, Conn., Nancy Bennett, of Orlando, Fla., and Molly McIntyre, of Austin, Tex., and his step-daughter, Eve Greer, and step-son Parks Nowlin, of Ormond Beach, Fla. Robert is also survived by nine nieces and nephews, in whom he derived great pleasure. They are Jason Samose of Westlake Village, Calif., Emily Samose, of Washington, D.C., Bonnie
Fitzpatrick, of Beverly, Mass., Rob Malootian, of Silver Spring, Md., Kelly Milligan, of Rockaway Beach, N.Y., Jay Milligan, of Portsmouth, N.H., Jessica Milligan, of New London, Conn., Ellen Fournier, of Des Moines, Wash., and Matthew McIntyre, of Austin, Tex. A memorial service for Robert will be held on Wednesday, December 15, at 5:30 p.m., at the Church of the Holy Child, Ormond Beach, Fla. Donations in Robert's memory may be made to research for multiple myeloma at Shands at the University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, Fla., (352) 265-0111, shands.org.