Obituary for MaryLou K. Finlayson
MaryLou Keener Finlayson, 94, of Garden Spot Village, New Holland PA died on Saturday, December 14, 2019 while her three daughters sang her home.
MaryLou was the wife of the late Kier M. Finlayson. She grew up in Berea, KY, the daughter of the late Orrin L Keener and Mary A Wiles Keener. She was a 1947 graduate of Berea College with a B.S. in Biology and received her M.A. in Physical Education from the University of Iowa.
Before she was married, MaryLou taught in her chosen field of Physical Education at the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks), the University of Missouri (Columbia), and Upsala College (E. Orange, NJ). She met Kier Finlayson, a Boston native doing research at the University of Missouri. Kier and MaryLou were married at First United Methodist Church in Lancaster, PA on August 9, 1952, before settling in Horseheads, NY. Kier worked at Corning Glass Works and MaryLou focused on raising four daughters with stints as a Girl Scout Leader and water safety instructor. The family spent three years in Columbus OH before settling in Lancaster PA in 1968 as Kier took a job with RCA.
MaryLou's passion was playing her cello in quartets and orchestras in every city she lived in. Kier and MaryLou were enthusiastic square dancers and bridge players. MaryLou was an avid student. She attended classes at the Lancaster Theological Seminary and then graduated from the Willow Street VoTech as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked as an LPN for several years at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lancaster. She left nursing in 1986, but kept busy working as a teller at Dauphin Deposit bank and teaching swimming at Golden Meadows Swim Club. She retired in 1992.
MaryLou was a member of Highland Presbyterian Church and had been active in youth work in other churches in the area. Kier and MaryLou moved to Garden Spot Village in 2000. MaryLou served on the Residents' Council, headed up a Red Hat women's group and enjoyed playing bridge and Mah Jongg.
MaryLou is survived by three daughters: Jeanne, wife of Ted Finlayson-Schueler (Syracuse, NY); Janet, wife of the late Thomas Cates (Newark, DE); and Nora, wife of James Mearns (Villanova, PA); as well as nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, her older sister Carolyn Howard (Sunbury OH) and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband, Kier (2015); her oldest daughter, Cherry (1992); her brother Curtis Keener (2005, Mt. Vernon OH) and her younger sister Marjorie Nelson (2014, Seattle, WA).
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, December 21 at 11am in the chapel at Garden Spot Village, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, PA 17557 with the family receiving friends and relatives afterwards. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Berea College (Berea, KY), Alice Lloyd College (Pippa Passes, KY), or Hospice and Community Care (Lancaster, PA).
MaryLou was the wife of the late Kier M. Finlayson. She grew up in Berea, KY, the daughter of the late Orrin L Keener and Mary A Wiles Keener. She was a 1947 graduate of Berea College with a B.S. in Biology and received her M.A. in Physical Education from the University of Iowa.
Before she was married, MaryLou taught in her chosen field of Physical Education at the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks), the University of Missouri (Columbia), and Upsala College (E. Orange, NJ). She met Kier Finlayson, a Boston native doing research at the University of Missouri. Kier and MaryLou were married at First United Methodist Church in Lancaster, PA on August 9, 1952, before settling in Horseheads, NY. Kier worked at Corning Glass Works and MaryLou focused on raising four daughters with stints as a Girl Scout Leader and water safety instructor. The family spent three years in Columbus OH before settling in Lancaster PA in 1968 as Kier took a job with RCA.
MaryLou's passion was playing her cello in quartets and orchestras in every city she lived in. Kier and MaryLou were enthusiastic square dancers and bridge players. MaryLou was an avid student. She attended classes at the Lancaster Theological Seminary and then graduated from the Willow Street VoTech as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked as an LPN for several years at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lancaster. She left nursing in 1986, but kept busy working as a teller at Dauphin Deposit bank and teaching swimming at Golden Meadows Swim Club. She retired in 1992.
MaryLou was a member of Highland Presbyterian Church and had been active in youth work in other churches in the area. Kier and MaryLou moved to Garden Spot Village in 2000. MaryLou served on the Residents' Council, headed up a Red Hat women's group and enjoyed playing bridge and Mah Jongg.
MaryLou is survived by three daughters: Jeanne, wife of Ted Finlayson-Schueler (Syracuse, NY); Janet, wife of the late Thomas Cates (Newark, DE); and Nora, wife of James Mearns (Villanova, PA); as well as nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, her older sister Carolyn Howard (Sunbury OH) and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband, Kier (2015); her oldest daughter, Cherry (1992); her brother Curtis Keener (2005, Mt. Vernon OH) and her younger sister Marjorie Nelson (2014, Seattle, WA).
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, December 21 at 11am in the chapel at Garden Spot Village, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, PA 17557 with the family receiving friends and relatives afterwards. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Berea College (Berea, KY), Alice Lloyd College (Pippa Passes, KY), or Hospice and Community Care (Lancaster, PA).