Raymond K. Finley

SKOWHEGAN – Raymond K. Finley passed away peacefully at the age of 92. Born at home in Norridgewock, Maine on August 9, 1928, Raymond was the eldest son of Raymond Stevens Finley and Villa Keene Finley. Raymond grew up in Pittsfield and Skowhegan, graduating from Skowhegan High School in 1946 and the University of Maine in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science in Business. Upon graduating from college, Raymond enlisted in the United States Army and served as 1st Lieutenant in the Korean War, stationed in Incheon, Korea. Upon returning home from the war in 1952, Raymond started his own insurance agency and merged with lifelong friend and business partner, Harvard Mullen, to form the Finley-Mullen Insurance Agency in 1965. In 1961, Raymond ran for public office and served as the Somerset County Commissioner for 12 years. In 1992, Ray and Harvard sold the business to Keyes Insurance to begin their retirements.

In February 1955, Raymond married Mary Elizabeth Decker of Skowhegan. Throughout their 65 years of marriage, Ray and Mary established the family homestead on the Back Road in Skowhegan where they raised three sons, Raymond Sean, Gavan and Michael Finley. In retirement, Ray and Mary spent their time between their homes in Skowhegan Maine, Casa Grande Arizona and Ballyvaughan, Ireland.

Raymond was a soft-spoken, modest man who took much pride in the simple things that life and land afforded him. For many decades during daylight hours, Ray could be found in the back field cutting firewood which he used to heat the family home for over 35 years. Ray had many treasured memories of raising and riding horses, namely his horse Mirgya whose stall in the barn still proudly displays his name plate; teaching his boys how to ski at Holly Hill on the Back Road in Skowhegan; getting his pilot’s license and owning and flying airplanes at both Pittsfield and Norridgewock Airports, where he would fly with his three sons on most Saturday mornings.

One of the things Ray enjoyed the most in life was playing hockey. He played in the local adult league, as well as an overseas tournament in Moscow, Russia, prior to hanging up his skates, much to his chagrin, after his 70th birthday. Ray took much pride in watching his grandchildren grow and rarely missed a sporting event, always quietly encouraging self-reliance to his grandchildren by teaching how to throw a “clean” punch and how to give a “good elbow” on the ice and field.

Raymond is predeceased by his parents, Raymond Stevens and Villa Finley; his sister Jean Doughty and his brothers, Peter and Donald Finley; and two sons R. Sean and Michael Finley. He is survived by his wife Mary Finley, son Gavan Finley and six grandchildren: Raymond Patrick Finley and wife Christina, Mallory Finley, Alexandra Finley, Gregory Finley, Meghan Finley and Riley Finley, and many nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are under the care of Smart and Edwards Funeral Home in Skowhegan, Maine. At the request of the deceased, there will be no services.


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