In Memory of

Reverend

Dewey

R.

Findley

Obituary for Reverend Dewey R. Findley

Reverend Dewey R. Findley, 86, passed away on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 at 9:30am with his loving family surrounding him. He was a resident of the Franklin United Methodist Community in Franklin, IN.

Dewey was born, September 15, 1932, in rural Bargersville to Wendell and Doris (Richardson) Findley. He was raised in a family of four brothers, Norman (deceased), Bill (deceased) Orel Keith (deceased) and Roger (deceased), two sisters, Wilma Jean Fleener Harmon (deceased) and Merrarose (Findley) Mosburg. He married Kay Lynn (Smithey) Findley at the Honey Creek United Methodist Church, April 23, 1960. They completed 58 years of loving and devoted marriage.

Dewey was a former member of Banta United Methodist Church, a member of Grace United Methodist Church, Franklin, and a member of the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Dewey’s family includes his wife, Kay; a son, Charles (Chuck) Russell Findley and wife, Andrea (Gossman) Findley, Michele Lynn (Findley) Buckley, and her husband , Keith Buckley (deceased), a son John Randall Findley, and a son Thomas Wendell Findley, and his wife Sherra (McKinney) Findley. Surviving grandchildren include Allie Michele (Findley) Thrash, Autumn Rae (Findley) Cummings, Jordan Randall Findley, Justin Russell Findley, Megan, Marissa and Isaac Findley, and Coby Alan Moore. Great-grandchildren Summer Cummings, Storm Cummings, Brady Thrash and Savannah Thrash.

Grandchildren preceding Dewey in death; Jacob Allen Findley and Travis Matthew Findley.

Dewey graduated from Union Township High School in 1950 where he was a mascot of the varsity basketball team in the third and fourth grades, played on the Union Ramblers when they won the county tourney championships in 1948 and 1949. He graduated from Franklin College in 1954 with an A. B. Degree in Psychology. He sang with the College Concert Choir, and was President of the Franklin Independent Men, a social organization. Dewey was ordained into the ministry of the Methodist Church by Bishop Richard C. Raines in 1957. He received his Theological training with Bachelor and Master Degrees in Theology from Boston University School of Theology in 1957 and 1958.

Dewey and Kay served the United Methodist Churches in Northern Indiana including: Anderson First, Taylor Chapel in Fort Wayne; Perrysville, Sumption Prairie, South Bend, LaCrosse, Taft; Silver Lake Center, Silver Lake, Medaryville and Francesville; Maple Grove and Norris Chapel, Auburn; and Morocco First, Morocco. Dewey also served Perry and Baylis Methodist Churches in Illinois.

Dewey’s special interests and areas of service in addition to his family included: directing sports at church camp with Kay’s help, church camps including several canoe trips and assisting work camps in Henderson Settlement, Frakes, Kentucky and Liberia, West Africa. A special concern of his was improving race relations including participating with his wife Kay, in the March on Washington, D. C. where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech. He also too an active role in promoting the American Cancer Society and Church World Service, CROP Hunger Walks. He and Kay were devoted to leading REAPP Marriage Enrichment Workshops. They worked with authors of REAPP materials, Keith and Marilynn Hamilton. He was active in “Writers in Residence” and various volunteer activities at the Franklin United Methodist Community.

Visitation will be Friday, February 22, 2019 from 4pm – 8pm at Swartz Family Community Mortuary Memorial Center in Franklin, 300 South Morton Street, U.S. 31 South, Franklin, IN 46131.

The Reverends Andy Kinsey and Jenothy Irvine will conduct a funeral service Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 11am at the Wright Chapel of the Otterbein Franklin Senior Life Community (formerly Franklin United Methodist Community) 1070 W. Jefferson St., Franklin, IN, 46131 with visitation from 10AM till service time. Burial will take place at Harris Cemetery in Bargersville IN.

Memorial contributions may be given to Franklin Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams St., Franklin, IN 46131, Church World Service CROP Hunger Walks, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515-9962. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.swartzmortuary.com. Information at 317-738-0202.