William Finch

William J. “Rock” Finch, 68, of Cape Girardeau passed away Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center.

He was born Sept. 20, 1950, in St. Louis, the son of Lehman and Dolores (Keithly) Finch. Rock married Rachel Lyn Windeknecht on July 22, 1977.

He was a graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University.

Rock was a widely respected business, spiritual and political leader in the Cape Girardeau community for nearly 40 years.

After high school. He served two tours in Vietnam in the United States Navy, assigned to the Pacific Fleet from 1971-1974. He was an electrician’s mate 3rd class aboard the destroyer escort Albert David.

A Missouri state certified teacher, Rock taught high school industrial arts for two years before pursuing what became his life’s work, insurance brokering. He founded Finch Insurance, a successful brokerage which had evolved into the Marathon Benefits Group by the time he retired.

Upon his retirement in 2016, he became instrumental in helping found and establish the MTC Truck Driver Training in Scott City. He was a classroom teacher there at the time of his death.

Rock was a member and past president of Lions Club, also serving in leadership of the Greater Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and numerous faith-oriented groups and Bible studies.

No single quality marked Rock’s life in every facet more than his faith in Jesus Christ. He made that faith known in all his relationships, and he was widely trusted and loved because he lived out his faith in all his affairs, from business transactions to community involvement to his role as husband, father, grandfather and friend.

Survivors include his wife, Rachel Finch, and two daughters, Carrie (Leland) Woelk and Molly (Daniel) Yingling; three grandchildren, Leah and Micah Woelk, and Matthew Yingling, expected in March; Rock’s siblings, Christy Dubs, Jan Finch, Dan (Sally) Finch, as well as two step-siblings, Nadine (Tom) Hampton and Charles (Linda) Finch. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Rosena Willard, and Rachel’s siblings, Sara (Jim) Green, Becky (Jim) Goss, and Dan (Joan) Windeknecht.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lehman and Dolores (Keithly) Finch, and a brother, Jonathan Finch.

Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until the time of service Thursday at Crain Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Cape Girardeau.

Funeral service will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Mike Woelk and Dan Windeknecht officiating. Interment with full military honors will be at noon on Friday at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mid-America Teen Challenge and will be accepted at the funeral home.

To leave online condolences for the family, please visit crainsonline.com.