Tony Finley

James Anthony “Tony” Finley, age 69, of Lamar, passed away Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.      Tony was born October 5, 1944 in Wayne, Michigan to James B. and Nell (Johnston) Finley.  Growing up in a military family, he lived in many different places and attended schools in the United States and abroad.  Always an excellent student, Tony graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri at Rolla in 1966, earning a degree in mechanical engineering.  That same year he married Lynn Youngs and they moved to Peoria, IL where he worked for Caterpillar. Later they moved to Houston and he worked as a technical writer for Hughes Tool.  After forty years in Texas, he moved back to Lamar.  In his retirement years, Tony had more time to expand his computer skills and enjoyed cooking gourmet meals.      Survivors include his mother, Nell Finley Voorhees and her husband, Jerry; two grandchildren, Dru Finley and Lacey Finley, all of Lamar; a son Kelly Dean Finley, Carthage, Texas; his former wife, Lynn Finley, of Lamar, and a large extended family.  Tony was preceded in death by his father, Jim Finley and a son, Joshua Finley.      Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday at Daniel Funeral Home.  Burial will be in Lake Cemetery.