Lloyd Butler Finley, 97, of Knoxville, TN, went home to be with the Lord on April 4, 2022.
He was born to Bert and Stella (Butler) Finley on January 12, 1925 in Salem, MO. Lloyd graduated from Salem Senior High School, Salem, MO in 1942. It was there he met his soulmate, Loretta Pearl Hoover. They were not married until October 30, 1945 though as Lloyd joined the Navy at 17 years old to serve his country in World War II. He was on a PT boat in both the Aleutian Islands and the South Pacific before returning home in 1946. He remained in the reserves and was called back to the Korean War from 1951–1953.
Between the wars, Lloyd attended business school to study accounting in St Joseph, Mo. He was hired by Goetz Brewing Company which was later acquired by Pearl Brewing Company. He was promoted through the years to Controller and when the company decided to close the plant in St. Joseph, he was offered one of a few positions with Pearl at their headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. He remained there until his retirement at age 65 in 1991.
Then Lloyd and Loretta moved to Punta Gorda, FL to begin a new chapter as grandparents and #1 babysitters. Once the grandchildren were in school and golf and tennis were not enough to keep him busy, Lloyd went back to work as a courier for a local auto mall. This became a job he truly loved because of the number of people he was able to encourage and support during the day. Lloyd stayed in this position until he decided the company didn’t need the liability of a 90-year-old driving their company car.
Lloyd was the ultimate people person. He had hundreds who called him friend throughout his life — including the friends he made during his last months at the independent living facility and then the skilled nursing center. The one thing he always left people with was his infectious smile and his great attitude. When asked his secret to living so well and so long, he always answered, “Attitude. You choose your attitude and you can always choose to be happy no matter your circumstances.”
Lloyd’s greatest love after his wife was music. He had an iPod and computer filled with over 3,000 songs and he knew the words to every one of them. Lloyd always had a song on his lips and would often sing you a song with your name in it, or one that reminded him of you. Another of his famous quotes was, “you cannot be sad when listening to good music.” Even in his final months as his memory failed him at times, he still knew all the songs. He passed peacefully with his iPod playing next to him.
Lloyd is survived by his daughter, Debbie (Richard) Llewellyn of Knoxville, TN; granddaughter Lauryn (Brent) Fiechtner of College Station, TX; grandson Trey Llewellyn, Sevierville, TN; nephews Mike Loyd and Bud Hoover and nieces Pat Shultz, Marilyn Etherton and Pam Ward.
He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Claire, his sister Cleo (Everett) Loyd, his son, Ron and the love of his life Loretta Pearl. They were married nearly 62 years when she passed.
A graveside celebration will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park Cemetery, St. Joseph, MO. Arrangements by Meierhoffer Funeral Home.
