Ret. SMSgt.
Lester E. Finney, 87
Ret. SMSgt. Lester E. Finney, known affectionately as "Buddy" by those close to him, went home to be with the Lord on April 6, 2023 just in time to celebrate Easter Sunday in Heaven alongside his wife Joyce. Lester was born in England, Arkansas on Feb. 21, 1936, to the late Floyd Homer Finney and Bessie Velma Finney Smith.
He was a faithful member of Capitol Baptist Church in Dover and was always willing to help anybody in need. Lester, who retired as a Senior Master Sergeant in 1984, was a 28-year veteran of the United States Air Force, where he worked his first seven years of his career as a firefighter and the final 21 years as a loadmaster. He spent 6,200 hours in the air on the C-5 Galaxy cargo plane and another 4,300 hours airborne in C-130s and C-141s. Lester was on the crew that brought the first C-5 into Dover Air Force Base from the Lockheed Martin factory in Marietta, Georgia, on April 1, 1971. He was also on a crew at Dover AFB that won the prestigious Mackay Trophy for the most meritorious flight of the year in 1977 after airlifting a large superconducting electromagnet, support equipment, and personnel in support of a joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. energy research program during the Cold War.
He often credited his late wife, Joyce, for his successful career because "I couldn't have made it through without her support because, while I was out flying, she was at home taking care of (our four kids)." Despite being a 56-year resident of Dover, Lester remained a proud Arkansas Razorback.
He is survived by his loving daughter, Gina Rath, of Milford; son, Doug and wife Patty, of Camden; and son, Michael and former wife Marybeth, of Dover. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Joyce L. Finney; and the couple's eldest son, Howard, of Dover. "Pop Pop" is also survived by grandchildren: Stephen Lyons (Gina), San Diego, California, Lauren Becke (Howard), Camden, Jonathan, Amanda and Sarah Finney (Doug), Camden, and Sean and Erin Finney (Mike), Dover; and great grandchildren: Addison Hall, Zarah Becke and Ari Jackson, (Lauren), Camden; and Chloe Lyons (Stephen) of San Diego, California.
The funeral service will take place Friday, April 14, 2023 at Capitol Baptist Church, 401 Kesselring Avenue, Dover, DE 19904 with visitation and viewing beginning at 10 a.m. and the service following at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to Delaware Hospice at 911 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901 or Capitol Baptist Church, 401 Kesselring Avenue, Dover, DE.
Online condolences may be made via www.pippinfuneralhome.com.