Coy Wilfred Finley, 80, Duluth, died May 3, 2009 at St. Lukes Hospice, Duluth.

Funeral services were held May 7, at Northern City Baptist Church, Duluth. Burial was at Sunrise Cemetery, Hermantown.

Coy was born May 3, 1929 to James and Iva Finley in Hardeman County, Texas. He is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, Abeline Texas with a BA degree, received a Bachelor of Divinity and a Master of Divinity Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas.

He served as Pastor for many churches before coming to Duluth in 1979, to serve as Director of Missions for the Northwoods Baptist Assn. in Minnesota and Wisconsin, retiring in 1995. He married Florence Kubitza Tepley in Duluth on March 16, 1991.

He was a member of Northern City Baptist Church, life member of the Hardin-Simmons University Ex-students Assn., life member of the NRA and a former volunteer fireman at Eagles Nest, N.M. He enjoyed quail and elk hunting.

Coy is survived by his wife; two sons, Coy Guy (Mary); Joel Brent (Linda); both of Amarillo, Texas; one daughter, Valerie (Carl) Peterson of Duluth; one step-son, Jeffrey Tepley of Inver Grove Hts; two brothers, one sister, 15 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, first wife Freda; three brothers, Irlan, Bertrom and James L.

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