David Noah Finley, age 74 formerly of Louisville and Shelbyville, KY, passed away peacefully at his home in Baton Rouge, LA on February 12, 2024. He was a member in good standing of the Valley-Daylight Lodge #511 of the Free and Accepted Masons and a member of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He played trombone in several bands including the Advocate Brass Band (Danville, KY), the Swing Street Big Band (Louisville, KY), and the Platinum Sound Orchestra (Baton Rouge, LA). His greatest joy was spending time with his grandsons.
David identified as a proud Kentuckian. He grew up in Louisville, KY and was a National Merit Finalist in High School. He was a sports enthusiast and a star football punter at Salem High School in Salem, Indiana. He was also star catcher on the Henry Clay High School baseball team in Lexington, KY. He worked in sales and marketing at the Illinois Broadcasting Company (WLAP, Lexington, KY) and the Lexington Herald Leader before earning his undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Kentucky. He then achieved his most valued personal accomplishment when he earned an M.B.A. degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Upon returning to Kentucky, he worked in product management and market development for Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation and the KFC Corporation (now Yum Brands). After a period as an independent consultant and entrepreneur and a board member of the Kentucky chapter of the National Kidney Foundation, he entered public service for the Commonwealth of Kentucky as a Performance Auditor and ultimately retired as an Executive Staff Advisor. During his time with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Governmental Services Center, he represented the state to quality management organizations as a board member, instructor, judge, and examiner. He was an avid reader, an intellectual conversationalist and a supporter of the arts.
David was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Ruth, and his brother, James Douglas. He is survived by his son, Jonathan David (Angela), his grandsons Edmund Anthony and William Salvatore, his brothers Daniel Maurice (Zahira) and Donald Nelson (Peri), sister Debra Ruth, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services will be held at Trent-Dowel Funeral Home at 308 South Hardin Street, Hardinsburg, KY 40143, on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 12 PM with burial following at the Jolly Cemetery at 1091 Finley-Dowell Road, Hardinsburg, KY 40143. Visitation will be held from 10 AM – 12 PM. All times are Central.
Memorial donations are encouraged to the National Kidney Foundation.