Obituary

LEE JUNIOR FINCH was born on July 28, 1944 in Taft, Oklahoma as the youngest of five children born to L. E. and Mable Finch. Around the age of three, he moved to Black Jack, Oklahoma to live with his grandparents, Munroe Columbus and Pris-cilla Simmons Cannady. He matriculated through Black Jack primary school and Moton High School in Taft. At 17, he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where he worked various jobs until he went to school to be-come a meat cutter. His 53-year career as the first Black Meat Department Manager in the state of Oklahoma began at Safeway, and included Home-land, Louis Rich, and Albertsons. In 1969, Lee married Dolores Ann Peoples Long; and together they gave their hearts and lives to the Lord at Page Memorial Church of God in Christ in a revival conducted by Pastor James Hill. Lee’s love for God and commitment to the church eventually led to his becoming the senior pastor, a position he held for one year.During their 31-year marriage, Lee and Dolores successfully parented six children to adulthood. In 1978, Elder Finch founded Victory Tabernacle Church of God in Christ, Inc.; a congregation that grew to slightly more than 200 devoted parishioners, several ministers, and over a dozen mothers in Zion. He was elevated to superintendent of the East Tulsa District of the Oklahoma Northwest Jurisdiction. After serving for 15 years, he resigned and moved to Colorado.With a newfound zeal for life, Lee married Vanessa Renee Ritchwood in 2001. They later joined Unity Temple Family Church along with their family. While at UTFC, he faith-fully served as an elder, teacher, sage counselor, and encourager. Through it all, he’s been a devoted hus-band, provider, father, grandfather, and friend. He was a genuine example of love, an authentic inspiration in life, a phenomenal pattern of consis-tency, an intentional representative of forgiveness, a profound model of strength, and an unwavering demonstration of faith.He’s preceded in death by his parents; mother-in-love, Pernell Noon; brother, John Douglas Smith; brother-in-love, Jewell Noon, Jr.; & sisters, Electra Ruth and Mozella Johnson.He’s cherished in life by his wife of 16 years, Vanes-sa Finch, and sons in the home, Donte’ and Dwayne Finch; father-in-love, Jewell (Margarita) Noon, Sr., Tullahoma, TN; friend for life, Dolores Finch; broth-er, Robert (Rena) Finch; sisters-in-love, LaDawn Smith, Ohio, Sharon (Emory) Horvath, Margaret Massey, New Jersey, Patricia (Vanness) Roper, Car-rie (Wayne) Anderson, Broken Arrow; daughters, Arnetta (Earrak) Cotton, Lisa (Charles) Mullins, Lynn Littlejohn, Marcherlee Finch, Beverly (Vic-tor) Bell, & Ann Pruitt; sons, Lee (Tenika) Finch, II, Willie Lee Jeremiah Finch, Dellavin Lee, Sean Byrd, and Lakota Ritchwood, 20 grandchildren; 39 great grandchildren; 1 great, great grandchildren; and a host of family, friends, acquaintances, as well as sons and daughters in the Kingdom of God.