Eunice Davis Finney of Rocky Mount, VA passed peacefully with family by her side, on September 05, 2025, after several years of declining health. She was full of curiosity, a yearn for learning, and always on the move. She will be dearly missed.
Eunice was born in Henry County on July 29, 1928, to the late James Henry Davis and the late Annie Draper Davis. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse Lewis Finney, Sr.; her granddaughter, Joanna Reid (Andrew O’Leary) Finney; her brothers, James H. Davis, Jr., Douglas E. Davis, Andrew M. Davis, Billy I. Davis, Curtis V. Davis, and her sister, Betty Ann Davis.
Surviving are three daughters, Janice D. (Michael) Fletcher of Montross VA, Patsy F. (Martin) Jansons of Blacksburg VA, and Danna F. (David Turner) Bullock of Elkin NC., and two sons, Jesse L. (Pamela, EdD.) Finney, Jr. of Greensboro NC, and Garry W. (Susan) Finney of Roanoke VA. She is also survived by two granddaughters, Lynne (Kurt Krushenski) Jansons, Ellen (Steve Koczirka, MD) Finney, MD, and four grandsons, Bennett (Nikki) Jansons, Nicholas (Cristina Viso) Finney, Zebulon Bullock, and Brennan Bullock. She was very proud of her three great-grandchildren as well, Irma and Lewis Koczirka, and Charlotte Jansons. Also surviving, her two sisters-in-law, Era Davis of Martinsville VA, and Goldie Davis of Summerfield NC. She also has numerous nieces and nephews surviving her, as well as many special friends, and her ever-present cat, Robin.
Eunice was born on a hot, humid day on the cusp of the Great Depression. She slept on feather ticks with her siblings, ate homemade butter biscuits on her walks to school, but yearned for the white bread other kids were eating. She met and married Lewis while working at DuPont for a short stint. They raised their children in Franklin County and worked diligently to give all five opportunities. They opened Finney Food Market in the Fork Mountain area with considerable farming on the side. Eunice served for over 30 years as a Registrar for Franklin County, starting back when folks would come by her home to register to vote. She always had a green thumb and loved flowers. She arranged flowers for years with Flowers by Jones in Rocky Mount. After Eunice became an "empty nester," she became a certified Emergency Medical Technician, one of only a handful of females at that time. She is a lifetime member of the Fork Mountain Volunteer Rescue Squad serving for over 30 years into her early 80s. This fit in with her childhood dream of becoming a nurse. She was an active member of the New Vision Baptist Church and read her Bible daily. At age 85, she started painting and had real knack for it.
She loved her family and looked forward to all the holiday gatherings, and the kitchen chaos, as it was fondly called when they all arrived and started cooking. One of her many joys, was making sure everyone around her had good food to eat. So much so, she made sure the creatures who lived around her home were fed. Crows in the morning had her leftover toast, raccoons and opossums, birds, were all fed, she said they needed to eat too. She had a love of many things, including big country breakfasts, cornbread, fresh vegetables, honey, and playing Rook. In her early 90s, she learned how to use a smartphone and looked forward to her "Face Phone” calls with loved ones. She was known as an early riser and a smart dresser.
Services for Eunice will be held Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at Collins-McKee-Stone Funeral Home in Martinsville. Visitation with family and friends will be from 1-2 p.m. The funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. in the chapel by the Rev. Dr. J. D. Harmon. Burial will be followed in the Henry Memorial Park, a hill where she fondly remembered picking and eating blackberries as a child.
Many heartfelt thanks to the many who shared in taking care of her, and loving her, through the years.
Oh, how mom loved flowers! But she also loved her community, and taking care of the people who lived in it. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Fork Mountain Rescue Squad, 2805 Virgil H. Goode Hwy., Rocky Mount, VA 24151.
