Constance Mary Finley

Constance Mary Finley passed from her Christian life of 101 years into the arms of the Father on November 21, 2012 at New Dawn Retirement Center. Connie was the first generation Italian-American daughter of Italian immigrants Vito and Edith (Fazi) Altier. She was a lifelong resident of Dover having lived the past 90 years in the house her father built for the family.

Connie raised her three siblings, Laura, Raymond and Paul after her mother passed when she was nine. She had to leave school at that time, yet she was an avid reader and self-educated. In February of 1939, she married Edward Finley of Dover. The couple shared forty-six years together prior to Edward's passing on January 22, 1985. Connie and Edward had two children, Robert Edward and Martha Ann. Connie was employed by the Dover Sad Iron Co., Aberth's Bakery at New Philadelphia and a crossing guard for Dover South School. However, her favorite occupation was that of a wife, mother and grandmother. She was the matriarch of both the Altier and Finley families.

Connie was a devout Roman Catholic having attended St. Joseph Church her entire life. She was a member of the church's Christian Mothers group and also volunteered at Union Hospital. She spent numerous hours with her girlhood friends, Vicky Antonelli, Jo Leone, Lena Chadrue, Liz Lewis and Nan Finley quilting and playing cards. As Ed worked for the railroad, the family was able to travel many places throughout the United States and Connie enjoyed seeing the country.

Connie is survived by her son, Robert E. Finley (wife, Julie) of California; four grandchildren, Jennifer (Finley) Skalnig (husband, Christian) and Tracie (Finley) Speckman, both of North Carolina, Danielle (Gee) Lieser (husband, William) of Dover, and Robert E. Finley II (wife, Kristina) of Florida; and a step-grandson, Michael Caputo of California. She has five surviving great grandchildren, Sam Skalnig, T.J. and Blake Speckman, Reid Lieser, and Chase Finley. Connie was also very close with her nephew, David Finley (wife, Patricia), Bill Altier (wife, Nancy) and former daughter-in-law, Dian Dozmati.

Connie was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings; daughter, Martha Gee; grandson, James Christopher Gee; and great-grandson, Jory Mitchell Loibl.

Family and friends are invited to call at the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory, Dover, on Tuesday, November 27, 5 8 p.m. A Christian wake service will be conducted at 7:45 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, November 28, at 10:30 a.m. in St. Joseph Church, Dover. Burial will be in St. Joseph Calvary Cemetery, Dover. Following the committal, there will be a luncheon in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center on the Boulevard in Dover.

In lieu of flowers, friends and family are asked to make donations to the Zachary David Frantz Scholarship Fund c/o The Quaker Foundation, 124 North Broadway, P.O. Box 627, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663. Zachary was Connie's great-great nephew.