Flo rence Caroline Tepley Finley, 83, of Duluth, died Jan. 4, 2010 at St. Lukes Hospice, Duluth.

Florence was born Dec. 30, 1926 in Chicago, Ill. to John A. and Alice (Dvorak) Kubitza. As as a young child, the family moved to Staples, where she grew up and was a 1945 graduate of Staples High School. After high school she attended and received a degree in Cosmetology. During WWII she served her country by working as a”Rosie the Riveter.”

She married John R. Tepley in Staples in 1947, moving back to St.Paul. Florence received a certifi- cate from the Moody Bible Institute for Early Childhood Development, served as Education Coordinator at University Avenue Congregational Church, Senior Mary Kay Beauty Consultant for 23 years, was employed at Regents Hospital, the St. Paul School Systems and retired from the State Board of Electricity in 1987.

Following the death of her husband John, Florence moved to Duluth where she met and married Coy W. Finley. She traveled with Coy as a lay missionary until his retirement in 1994.

Florence is survived by one daughter, Valerie (Carl) Peterson, Duluth; three sons, Jeffrey (Dawn) Tepley, Inver Grove Heights; Coy (Mary) Finley; Joel Finley; both of Amarillo, Texas; two brothers, John Kubitza and Richard (Cheryl) Kubitza, both of Browerville, 15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands and one sister, Eleanor Koen.

Memorials are preferred, to the Coy W. Finley Memorial Fund, used for NWBA Church Growth.

A00006B2009JN14