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William C. 'Bill' Finch Greenville, NC QCWA # 13388 Chapter 126 10-10 # 10256 |
Mr William C. Finch, 101, died Saturday, July 27, 2013.The funeral service will be conducted Tuesday at 11 am at the First Presbyterian Church, Greenville. The family will receive friends at the church from 10 to 11 am prior to the service. A graveside service will be held Wednesday at 11 am in Lafayette Memorial Park, Fayetteville.
Mr Finch, son of the late William T. and Lelia C. Finch, attended UNC Chapel Hill and was employed as an electrical engineer with Civil Service at Fort Bragg. He held an amateur radio license since 1935 and was an Honorary Life Member of Cape Fear Amateur Radio Society and Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club. He was past president of CFARS and Cape Fear Engineer Club in Fayetteville.
Mr Finch was a participant in the Pitt County, North Carolina State and National Senior Games. He holds state and national records in the 800 and 1500 meter runs as well as a world record for the 1500 meter run in the 95-99 year age group. In 2012 he received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. He served as a deacon and elder in the Presbyterian church at Greenville and Fayetteville.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Elsie Floyd Finch, and a brother, Thomas H. Finch. He is survived by a son, William C. Finch Jr and wife, Ellen L., of Greenville; brother, Keith G. Finch of Dunn; four grandchildren, Jennifer Finch Privott of Edenton, Kimberly Finch O'Rourke of Wilmington, Matthew McGowan of Greenville and Lt Jeffrey McGowan of Colorado Springs, CO; and four great grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Greenville-Pitt County Senior Games, 4561 County Home Road, Greenville, NC 27858.
Arrangements by Wilkerson Funeral Home and Crematory. Online condolences at www.wilkersonfuneralhome.com.
BILL FINCH - Anyone who lives to age 101 deserves recognition, but Bill Finch, W4EHF, was more than just a Ham who had passed the century mark. He was still active on the North Carolina Morning Net as recently as this month. Because of his many years of service to Amateur Radio, to the National Traffic System (NTS) and to the communities in which he lived, Gov. Beverly Purdue bestowed the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina's highest civilian honor, on Bill in 2012.
He was also a committed athlete. He tried to run a mile each day, and was hoping to attend Senior Olympics to compete in the one mile race. Sports Illustrated featured Bill when he was 96 as a national badminton champion. Bill became licensed in 1935, one year after the creation of the Federal Communications Commission.
The ARRL NC Section and QCWA Piedmont Chapter 126 extends their condolences to Bill's family and his son, Bill Jr, AI4TN.
Bill Morine, N2COP
Member, Chapter 126
ARRL NC Section Manager