BOLTON LANDING & SANIBEL, FLA. --- Betty Bryan Finley, passed away peacefully on July 2, 2012 at her home on Lake George.
Born in Oklahoma City, the daughter of Michael and Gladys (Mason) Bryan, she grew up in Oklahoma.
Betty graduated from Mills College, Oakland, Calif. with a degree in Mathematics. She moved to New York City where she worked for IBM until her marriage to her late husband, Sherwood H. K. Finley. During her years in Connecticut, Betty worked tirelessly for the Red Cross and The United Way. After raising two children, Betty returned to work as a high school math teacher at Low Heywood in Stamford, Connecticut until the couple retired to their Florida residence on Sanibel, Florida.
Betty was an avid gardener and long-standing member of the Lake George Garden Club. In addition to her support of Lake George area conservation efforts, Betty pursued her passion for nature conservation by working with various groups along Florida's Gulf Coast. Betty spearheaded a landmark beach re-nourishment project to preserve the beach and save residents' homes, enlisting national, EPA, state, municipal and neighborhood support. In addition, Betty worked for many years as a trail guide for the Sanibel Captive Conservation Foundation. At the Sanibel Congregational Church, Betty recently oversaw the cataloging of the church's library. Betty was an accomplished ceramist, often collaborating with her husband Sherwood in the production their pieces.
She is survived by her children, Michael Finley of Iona, Florida, and Sandy Finley of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and her granddaughter, Harriet Alexander.
A memorial to celebrate the lives of Betty Finley and her recently deceased husband, Sherwood, will be held Sunday, July 22, from 1-3 pm at the Lake George Club, Diamond Point, NY.
Gifts may be made in their memory to the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, the Lake George Association, and High Peaks Hospice, Glens Falls, NY.
Condolences may be mailed to Maynard D. Baker Funeral Home, 11 Lafayette St., Queensbury, NY 12804, or e-mailed through www.bakerfuneralhome.com.