ETHEL MEYER FINLEY   WASP 43-W-5

Ethel Meyer Finley of Rehoboth Beach, DE, died on February 24, 2006 at the home of her daughter in Forked River, NJ.  She was 85.

Mrs. Finley, who was born in Lake City, MN, lived on a farm near there until graduating from high school in 1937.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in science, mathematics and physical education from Winona State Teacher College, and she was the first woman at the school to participate in the Civilian Pilot Training program, training with renowned aviator Max Conrad.  She taught school for a year before she learned she could not earn a living and have enough left to fly planes, so she went to work operating the Link trainer at the airport in exchange for flying time.

In March, 1943 she entered the army as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).  She was one of about 1,000 women who were the first to serve as U.S. military aviators.  She trained military pilots, logging more than 1000 hours of flying before the WASP were disbanded in December, 1944.

 While in the Army she met James A. Finley Jr., from Media, PA and Odessa, DE, and they were married in December, 1944.

She left aviation to raise a family, living in West Virginia and Pennsylvania before settling in Summit, NJ in 1952.  They lived there for 30 years, and she became active in women’s affairs by starting halfway houses for women recovering from substance abuse.

After moving to Rehoboth Beach Mrs. Finley again became active with the WASP organization. She served a variety of positions and continued to travel to national air shows and events throughout the country telling the story of the women aviators and encouraging young women to follow their dreams.  She was president of the organization 1992-1994, during which time Congress granted the women veteran’s status.

 She received the Delaware Trailblazer Award in 1995 and was named to the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame in 2001.  She is a member of the Board of Directors of Wright Flight Youth Program in Tucson, AZ, and served on the Dover Air Mobility Museum Foundation Board.  For seven years through 2005, she organized the WASP activities at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Fly-In in Oshkosh, WI and the national Sun and Fun Air Show in Lakeland, FL.

In Delaware, Mrs. Finley remained active in the women’s affairs, serving on the Delaware Commission for Women and helping to establish Tau House and Houston Hall in Georgetown. 

She is survived by her sister Ione Olson of Minnesota and her children Janet Finley of Steamboat Springs, CO; Michael J. Finley of Odessa, DE; and Joanne Marine of Forked River, NJ.  She has four grandchildren and two great granddaughters. 

Services will be held at St. Edmonds Roman Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, DE on Friday, March 3, 2006 at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow at the house.  Interment will be in Old Drewyers Cemetery in Odessa, DE. St. Edmond's Church is located at the corner of King Charles and Laurel Streets in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.Parish Office - 302-227-4550
 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the WASP Endowment Fund, Texas Women’s University, PO Box 425528, Denton, TX 76204 or to The Shrine of St. Joseph, 1050 Long Hill Road, Stirling, NJ 07980

If you would like to send a memory of Ethel or a message to her family, please email nancy@avengerfield.org