Obituary of Jean Faquin Finlay

Finlay, Jean Faquin who passed away December 26, 2015, was born Frances Clare Faquin on November 12, 1922 in St. Louis, Missouri, to Frank and Clara Faquin. In high school, "Franny" changed her name to Jean Frances Faquin. Jean graduated from Beaumont High School in St. Louis and attended secretarial training. During World War II, she worked in the office of a TNT plant in St. Louis where she met George W. Finlay. Jean and George were married April 24, 1943 in Quantico, Virginia, where George was in Officer Candidate School for the Marine Corps. Jean used to tell people she "had six Marines for bridesmaids." Five children were born to Jean and George. Jean took pride in being a homemaker and mother to her children. She willingly followed her husband's career, moving from St. Louis to Mobile, Alabama, back to St. Louis, then to Wichita, Kansas and finally to the Minneapolis area. She had most recently resided in Eden Prairie. Jean was an intelligent, independent, curious and gracious woman to the end of her life. She loved plaid, anything Blue Willow, the color red and travel. She became an accomplished artist in later life, specializing in portraits done in pastels. She had a strong faith, and studying the bible brought her great comfort. Jean was preceded in death by her husband, George, her parents, and her brother, Frank Faquin, Jr. She is survived by her children Katie Klevesahl (Roger, deceased), Joan Vincent (Steve), George Daniel, Jayne Soener (Tom) and Pat Stockmeyer (Tom), and thirteen grandchildren: Josh, Adam and Ben Vincent; Matt and Evan Finlay; Emily, Matt, Abby and Annie Soener; Finlay, Cullen, Mary Claire and Jack Stockmeyer. She was proud to be the great-grandmother of Noah, Ali, Jackson and Rumi Vincent. She had hoped to live to rock her newest great-grandchildren in March and July of 2016. A memorial service will be held at 11 AM, Wednesday, December 30th at Christ Presbyterian Church, Edina, MN, date and time will appear in Tuesday's paper. Jean's ashes will be buried with her husband at Ft. Snelling Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to the N.C. Little Memorial Hospice House in Edina, MN. Memorials are preferred to the N.C. Little Memorial Hospice House, 7019 Lynmar Lane, Edina, MN 55435.