Madeline Finch

Madeline Finch died at her home in Auburn CA, on March 18, 2013. She was 90 years old. Her children were all with her in her last days.
Madeline was born January 29, 1923 in Westfield, VT, to Georges and Yvonne Duranleau. With her brothers Robert, Roger and Lawrence, she spent her childhood on her family’s dairy farm. She attended Vermont public schools and graduated from Johnson State Teachers College with a teacher’s certificate in 1941. She returned to Westfield after her graduation and taught in the rural one-room school that she had once attended.
In 1943, she enlisted in the WAVES and served for three years as a yeoman, attaining the rank of Chief Yeoman in 1945. While serving in Washington, DC, she met the one love of her life, Francis Finch, himself a veteran of WWII. They were married in 1947 and made their home in the Hyattsville, Maryland area for the next 18 years. They had their 5 children while living in Maryland. They moved to Lowell, Vermont, where they lived until 1973, when they moved to rural Severy, KS. Madeline was born and raised Catholic, and she and Francis were active members of Sacred Heart Church in Eureka for many years.
After her husband died, Madeline remained in Severy, caring for her mother until shortly before Yvonne’s death at 103 years old. Madeline then spent the next six years living near or with her daughters in Lecompton and Lawrence, Kansas; Colorado; and California.
Madeline was a homemaker for most of her married life, but in the late 1970s and early 80s, she was employed as a House Manager for Starkey Center in Wichita. She became quite attached to the residents and their families and maintained relationships with some of them long after her employment there.
Madeline was a lover of words. She was raised speaking French and continued to speak it fluently throughout her life. She was also an avid Scrabble player
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Francis, who died in 1991; her granddaughter, Adrienne; and her eldest son, Phillip, who died last year.
She is survived by four children: daughters Yvonne Finch, Grand Junction, CO; Denise Finch, Auburn, CA; Madeline A. Finch, Sacramento, CA; and Thomas Finch, Wichita, KS; 13 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and her brother, Paul Duranleau, Moline, KS.
Please sign this guestbook at Obituaries.LJWorld.com.