Remembering James “Jim” Finlay Jr

James “Jim” R. Finlay Jr. - January 25, 1946 - October 1, 2020 Jim passed away peacefully at the VA Hospital in Roseburg, OR from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He will be remembered by family and friends for his kind, gentle, and generous spirit. Jim was born in San Francisco, CA to Jim and Alice Finlay, but spent the majority of his life in Roseburg, OR. Jim excelled in math and science at Roseburg High School, where he graduated in 1964. After graduating from Oregon State University in 1968, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving first in Vietnam and then in Germany in the Dental Corps. Upon completion of his military service, he enrolled in dental school at OHSU in Portland, OR. During his time at OHSU, he met and married the love of his life, Karen (Sweeten) Finlay. They were married on December 14, 1974 in Tigard, OR. After completing dental school, Jim and Karen moved to Roseburg where Jim joined his dad’s dental practice. Later, his brother Dave also joined the practice and the two brothers continued to work together until Jim’s retirement in 2007. His favorite part of dentistry was building relationships with his patients. In 1977, Jim and Karen’s family began to grow. They were blessed with four children: daughter Arika, and sons Kevin, Ryan, and Nolan. Jim enjoyed being active in his community and kids’ lives, often volunteering to coach their youth teams. He also participated in church basketball and softball leagues. Additionally, Jim was a passionate supporter of OSU athletics and loved attending games with family. Other hobbies and interests included book clubs, walking, hiking, traveling, and being very active in the lives of his 10 grandkids. Jim also spent time volunteering in the Awana club at his church, serving on mission teams and committees, speaking about dental health in elementary classrooms, and serving in leadership positions in his church. Jim is survived by Karen, his wife of 45 years; his daughter Arika (Grant) and children Luke and Lacey; son Kevin and children Isabella and Josafinne; son Ryan (Candice) and children Moses, Elijah, Abraham, Hannah, Esther, and Eva, and son Nolan (Matt). He is also survived by siblings Garry (Rita), Dave (Shirlee), Karen, and Scott (Carmen), and many nieces and nephews. The most important relationship in Jim’s life was with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, he is in his heavenly home. The family wishes to express their deep appreciation to the staff at the VA Lodge for the incredible care they provided to Jim in his last two years. A celebration of life will be held at Wellspring Bible Fellowship on Saturday, October 17th at 2:00 p.m. We respectfully request that masks be worn at the service.