Archdeacon Gordon Finney dead at 69

Archdeacon Gordon H. Finney, who served in the diocese of Toronto, taught at Seminari Thelogi in Malaysia and then retired to the diocese of New Westminster, died July 23 after eight years of living with colorectal cancer.

Finney “died peacefully in his North Vancouver home with his family surrounding him,” according to the diocese of New Westminster website.

Born September 3, 1949, to Dr. Charles H. Finney and Anne Weymss Bell Davidson Finney in Fillmore, New York, he is survived by his wife Adele, former executive director of Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund; daughters Elisabeth (Rick) in Vancouver and Jessica (Matt) in Nanaimo; grandchildren Ella, Ben and Emily; and four older brothers: Charles, David (Janet), James (Patricia), Chanson (Amie) and Paul (Judi).

Finney studied at Houghton College in Houghton, New York (BA), where he grew up, then at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, the University of Toronto (MA, English Literature) and Wycliffe Theological Seminary, Toronto (MDiv). He served in the diocese of Toronto at St. Paul’s Bloor Street (Toronto), the Elmvale Parish (Toronto), St. Peter’s Carlton Street (Toronto) and St. John the Evangelist (Peterborough) as archdeacon. He served with Adele as a partner in mission for the Anglican Church of Canada when he taught at Seminari Thelogi in Malaysia (1982-87).

He retired with Adele to North Vancouver, B.C., in 2016, where he officiated at occasional services at Christ Church Cathedral and sang in the choir, as well as providing Sunday supply in other parishes in the diocese of New Westminster. He travelled to Italy, Mexico and around British Columbia with family.

A funeral for Finney will be held Wednesday, August 14, at 3:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver, followed by a reception in the parish hall.

Adapted from a release on the diocese of New Westminster website.