Eric David Finley

Our hearts were broken when we received the news on January 6 that our brother and friend and long-time member of UBC, Eric David Finley, had passed on to his eternal home in Heaven. He was 64.

Eric had battled lymphoma, hydrocephalus, and other physical illnesses for several years. Terri shared with us that when Eric saw his doctor late last year, they were all bracing for the worst. Because of lymphoma in his face, other issues had to be put aside, and a new chemo was prescribed. He began the new drug on December 27th. At that time, his extreme discomfort was attributed to the new chemo. But he fell in the bathroom on January 3rd and hit his head, and Daniel drove him to MD Anderson ER. Like so many other families, little did Terri and Daniel know that, because Eric had contracted the Covid-19 virus, not only would he not be able to return home, but the family would not be able to visit him. He went on to be with God, trusting in the Christ he followed, on January 6, 2021.

Eric David Finley was born in Seattle, Washington on September 28th,1957. After moving several times from coast to coast, the family moved to Slidell, Louisiana, and in 1968 they settled in Houston, Clear Lake. Eric graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1976. He played clarinet in the school band, was in ROTC, and was a National Merit Scholar. He was also active in Boy Scouts and received his Eagle Scout award his senior year.

Eric knew that he wanted to attend Texas A&M and worked hard to make that a reality. He had a partial scholarship, but also worked as a grader in the math department, and as a co-op student to cover his tuition. In 1980, he graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Chemical engineering. Eric absolutely loved his years at Texas A&M, and taking Terri, a graduate of the University of Texas, with him to reunions made for some interesting introductions. He worked for several companies in Houston, before moving to Baton Rouge to work for Allied Signal. Eric returned to Houston to be near his dying father, and got a job at Chemtrusion. He worked as a process engineer in plastics.

In 1988, Eric met Terri Ann Malone. She was looking for someone who worked in Plastics to help a French friend find contacts for showing an innovative French knife, so even though Eric and Terri both attended UBC, it was a French connection, as Terri likes to say, that led them to meet. They got to know each other on a UBC singles camping trip to Terri’s parent’s farm in Northeast Texas. They started seriously dating on New Year’s 1989, and were married the same year, August 12th.

In 1994, Eric completed a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering at the University of Houston. Through the years he worked at CDI engineering, Kelly Services, Jacobs, S&B, and Dow chemical.

In June of 1996, Eric and Terri flew to Bucharest, Romania to adopt their son, Daniel. After a visit with friends in France, the family arrived in Houston on June 16th, 1996. It was Daniel’s coming to America day, and it was also Father’s day. Eric was in every way a devoted father. He could often be seen tutoring Daniel in math and reading Bible stories to him. When Eric became sick in the fall of 2014, Daniel began to assume the role of awesome caregiver. He drove him to his job and helped him in the building. He helped him understand his medical devices. He drove him to physical and occupational therapy. Eric loved being a dad, and Daniel loved his daddy.

Terri tells us a story that speaks to the heart of who Eric Finley is, and what he means to his family and to his church. She said she was sitting beside Eric in the lymphoma clinic, 6th floor B, MD Anderson, saw him reading what she thought was the political news of the day, on his phone. She later discovered that he was reading scripture, verse after verse of scripture that had been meaningful to him through the years. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles but the Lord delivers him from them all. Psalm 34:18-19. Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God Col 3:1. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Keep the Spirit’s fires burning. Listen carefully to prophesy. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 1 Thesssalonians 5:16-22. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go Joshua 1:9. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding Proverbs3:5. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. Unless the LORD builds the house, it’s builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain Psalm 127:1-2.

There were others, and other quotes, as well as “thirty-three reasons to be thankful.” Notable “reasons” to her were, “That Terri, Daniel, James, and Earl all loved him and were on his side, that he had turned his whole life over to God, that on April 29th, 2016 at 4:30 pm, God said to him “It will be all right” and that God said it four times. Others were answers to his prayers.

Eric Finley is a man who loves God, who loves his family, and who lived out his faith, even through very difficult days battling illness and disease. He really liked music, theatre, reading and watching science fiction, playing chess, and lots of other games. He played clarinet and bass clarinet in the UBC orchestra in the 90’s. He also loved his dogs: Shortie, a jack Russell terrier was his childhood dog that he often spoke of. Taffy was a yellow lab from the farm that waa lost too soon. And then there is Cocoa, the chocolate lab who survived him, who is a cancer survivor herself, and who will not leave the chair where he sat.

Eric was preceded in death by his parents, William Latta Finley, Betty Craven Finley, his in-laws Verna Jo Malone, and James Franklin Malone. He is survived by his wife, Terri Malone Finley, his son Daniel Franklin Finley, and his brother William Earl Finley.

Because of the Covid environment, and because Terri has been battling the virus herself and Daniel is in quarantine, there are no memorial services planned in the immediate future. Terri wants to have a service at UBC in the not-so-distant future, and we will let the church family know when we are able to do this. A small family burial service will be held in East Texas, near Terri’s family farm, when she is able to go. We are heartbroken by the loss of Eric which feels way too soon, but we know without a doubt that he trusted Jesus and is with him now, and no longer in pain. For this, we give thanks to God, and celebrate the gift from God of eternal life through Christ Jesus our Savior and our Lord! Amen!