Willie Edith Finch, age 102, died September 26, 2014. She was born in Wildersville, Henderson County, Tennessee, on July 31, 1912, and was the daughter of J. F. Penix and Jane (“Jennie”) Victoria Bartholomew Penix. She was married to Spencer F. Finch for 47 years, and they had four children. The family moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee in 1944 and remained in the area with the exception of a six-year period after retirement when they lived in Florida. Mrs. Finch is listed on the Rotary Club Honor Roll of Additional Founders of Oak Ridge. She was employed briefly at the Y-12 plant during the Manhattan Project and also worked at Highland View Elementary School cafeteria, but primarily stayed home to take care of the family. Mrs. Finch lived in Knoxville and Lexington, Tennessee and at Callaghan Towers in Oak Ridge until 2001, when she moved to the home of her son Alan and his wife, Darlene, in Clinton. She remained alert and active until her late 90’s and enjoyed annual trips to Cape San Blas, Florida, where she loved walking on the beach and collecting shells. She proudly wore her Lady Vols sweatshirt and loved watching the games. She enjoyed gardening, reading, sewing, and baking, and appeared on television at age 75 as the winner of a local pie-baking contest. She also enjoyed participating in a weekly quilting group at the Appalachian Arts Craft Center at the age of 91. Mrs. Finch was a member of Woodland Park Baptist Church in Oak Ridge. She will be remembered by her children as a loving and devoted mother, an honorable and strong woman, and one who inspired all the family. She is survived by four children: Stanley J. Finch and his wife, Gail, of Harriman, TN; Larry S. Finch and wife, Elizabeth, of Knoxville, TN; Peggy Parks of Austell, GA ; P. Alan Finch and wife, Darlene, of Clinton, TN; and 10 grandchildren: Myra Mansfield, Becky Eddy, Steven Finch, Wayne Finch, Denise Benton, Jayne Atkins, Kevin Finch, Kim Parks, Kristie Crump, and Keith Parks. Additional survivors are 14 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren; sister-in-law Lucille Penix of Memphis, TN; niece Sherry Pearson, Memphis, TN, and nephew Johnny Pearson of Lexington, TN; and several other nieces and nephews. The family will always be grateful for the loving care that was given to Mrs. Finch by Darlene and Alan Finch during the years she lived in their home. They also wish to express their deep appreciation to exceptional caregivers Samantha Coffey and Veronica Mata. The family will receive friends at Holley Gamble Funeral Home, Clinton, TN on Thursday, October 2, from 5:30-7:00 PM, with funeral service beginning afterward at 7:00. Rev. Jimmy Burroughs of Wildersville, TN will officiate. Burial will be at the Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Wildersville, TN on Saturday, October 4, at 1:00 (CST). Memorial Donations may be made to the Pat Summitt Foundation, East Tennessee Foundation, 625 Market Street, Suite 1400, Knoxville, TN 37902.
