OBITUARY

Her passion for politics and intense involvement in Surf City will

never be forgotten.

That’s how friends and family say they will remember 37-year

Huntington Beach resident and former Mayor Ruth Finley, who died Monday

morning of natural causes at age 78 at a Long Beach care facility.

Finley served on many boards, among them the Amigos de Bolsa Chica

that she helped found 25 years ago. She also served one year as

Huntington Beach mayor in the midst of her eight-year stint on the City

Council from 1980 to 1988.

“I’m very proud of her and always perceived my mother as someone that

made a difference in the city,” said her son, Dave Finley, 39.

She made many numerous friends during her time in Huntington Beach,

among them Dean Albright and Ruth Bailey.

Bailey, 75 and also a former mayor, and she were both involved with

the League of Women Voters.

“[The League of Women Voters] is where we began our political

aspirations, we were always working together on things for the city,”

Bailey said. “She was a very bright woman, very intelligent and a good

friend.”

Albright first met Finley when the two were on the city’s

environmental board.

“She was one of the best council people we had, she was very active

with people in the community,” Albright said.

Finley also spent much of her time volunteering at the Huntington

Beach Library with her sister Mary Morgan.

Finley is survived by husband of 47 years, Gerald; their three

children: Dave Finley, Elaine Minamide and Laura Cole; and seven

grandchildren.

A memorial service for family and friends will be held at 11 a.m.

Sunday at the Huntington Beach Central Park Amphitheater behind the

Huntington Beach Library at 7111 Talbert Ave.

The family is asking people to call Amigos de Bolsa Chica at (714)

840-1575 or Friends of the Huntington Beach Library at (714) 842-4481 to

donate flowers.