Lee Finger

Asheville, Lee Finger, 88, passed away on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at The Laurels of Green Tree Ridge.

Lee was a native of Haywood County and a son of the late John Calvin and Sarah Eliza Mehaffey Finger.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by six sisters, Georgia Clark, Hattie McCall, Grace Woody, Wilma Sease, Frances Smith, and Mary Greer.  Lee was a United States Army veteran.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Susan Powell Finger; two daughters, Lynne Finger of Waynesville and Carole Finger, and her husband, Jerry Stensland, of Rutherfordton; one son, Tim Finger, and his wife, Carleene, of Waynesville; a brother, Jack Finger, and his wife, Olin, of Waynesville; and several beloved nieces and nephews.

Lee was a graduate of Waynesville Township High School and Western Carolina University, where he received his BS and MS in Mathematics.  He joined Dayco at the Waynesville plant in 1955.  He ran a Dayco plant in Dundee, Scotland in the late 1960s.  He ran the Dayco plant in Waynesville in the 1970s.  Then Dayco sent him to Dayton, Ohio where he became Senior Vice President of Operations before he retired in 1993.

In his retirement, Lee was active in a number of community boards and organizations, including Haywood County Arts Council, Folkmoot, Rotary, and Haywood Community College.  He enjoyed riding his motorcycle and spending time with the Smoky Mountain Harley Owners group and Blue Ridge Thunder Motorcycle club.  He also enjoyed hiking and trail maintenance with local hiking clubs and he taught himself to make Tiffany style stained glass lamps.  Lee was also active with the missions programs of the United Methodist Church.  His great love was his volunteer work with Mountain Mediation.  He was a mediator there from 1996 through 2014.

Due to the health issue of COVID-19, a private service will be held.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church in Asheville, 27 Church Street, Asheville, NC 28801 or to Mountain Mediation Services, 285 N Main St #1100, Waynesville, NC 28786.

The care of Mr. Finger has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes.