Dorothy Parkes Finley

Dorothy (Dot) Parkes Finley passed away July 7, 2023 at home. She was born September 25, 1925 in Salford, England. Dot attended schools in Salford, and while enrolled in high school in September 1939, World War II began. At the outset of the war, Dot was among some 800,000 children who were evacuated from English cities, including Manchester, to the relative safety of the countryside. However, after several months of evacuation, Dot returned to her family in the city. Following the June 1940 fall of France, the Battle of Britain began. Over the next years, Dot and her family endured the hardships of “the Blitz”, including numerous nighttime air raids on her city, often yielding destruction of homes, neighborhood blocks, and businesses. Wartime deprivations included not only frequent evenings in air raid shelters, but government rationing of food and war-critical manufactured goods and supplies. Even with the ongoing war, young Dorothy “carried on” in the British tradition with her social life. Dancing was a passion of Dot's, and she especially enjoyed regular visits with her friends to their favorite dance halls in Manchester.

With Americans entering the war after Pearl Harbor, Dot met her future husband, George. He was stationed at the combined Royal Air Force and US Army Air Corps air base at Burtonwood, near Manchester. In 1946, after the war, George returned to the States and he and Dot continued to correspond. Ultimately, Dot's heart was won over, and she departed England for America. She and George were wed on July 9, 1947 in George's hometown of Mountville, SC. The couple moved to Anderson, SC while George attended Clemson College, graduating in 1950. During this time Dot obtained her US citizenship, which was a very meaningful accomplishment for her. Having completed college, George was hired by Duke Power Company. The couple moved to Charlotte, NC where they resided for the remainder of their lives.

Dot was a longtime and active member of Park Road Baptist Church in Charlotte, and served in many capacities there. Additionally, she served as Executive Secretary for the Charlotte Jaycees and was later employed part-time at Bush Stationers' accounting office. In the couple's retirement years, Dot volunteered supporting the Crisis Assistance Ministry and with Park Road Elementary as a literacy tutor. She and George were very active in the Burtonwood Association, and enjoyed traveling to meetings in England and various places in the US. During her later years, Dot was able to remain in her home with the loving support of family, in-home caregivers, and close friends.

Dot was predeceased by her parents; her father, Herbert Ewbank (d. 1953), and her mother, Mary (Molly) Parkes (d. 1985). Her beloved husband, George, passed away in 2010 after 62 years of marriage. Dot is survived by two sons, David (Sherry), of Rock Hill, SC, and Keith, of Huntersville, NC; one grandson, Jonathan (Ashton), two granddaughters, Loren and Alexa, and five great-grandchildren, Raley, Ava James, Huck, Parkes, and Sayre.

A memorial service, officiated by the Rev. Furman Buchanan, will be held at 2:00 PM on July 22, 2023, at McEwen Funeral Service, 5716 Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Crisis Assistance Ministry, 500-A Spratt St, Charlotte, NC 28206 or Charlotte Rescue Mission PO Box 33000 Charlotte, NC 28233.