In Loving Memory of Dean H. Finley Jr.

Dean H. Finley Jr., 68, of Dallas, Texas, passed away on August 27,
2026.

Born on July 19, 1958, at Fort Monmouth Army Base in New Jersey, Dean
lived a life defined by family, faith, love, and the relationships he
built with those around him. He will be remembered for his kind heart,
his devotion to his family, his love of sports, and most of all, his
love for Jesus Christ.

Dean was a proud graduate of the University of Memphis. He went on to
build a successful career in the insurance industry, first working as an
insurance agent with Sedgwick James and later with Allstate Insurance.
Throughout his career, Dean was known for his dedication,
professionalism, and commitment to helping others.

Dean enjoyed sports and loved following the games and sharing that
passion with those around him. His faith was also an important part of
his life. He loved Jesus Christ, and his faith provided him with
strength, hope, and purpose throughout his life.

A Brother Who Was Always There

Dean’s relationship with his brothers, Craig Aaron Finley and Clinton
David Finley Sr., was one of the greatest parts of his life. They shared
the bond of brothers, but their relationship was much deeper than that.
They shared a lifetime of memories, laughter, disagreements, inside
jokes, and moments that only brothers can understand.

Dean was an exceptional brother. He loved Craig and Clinton fiercely and
was always someone they could count on. He had a way of making the
people he loved feel protected and cared for, and his brothers knew that
no matter what life brought their way, Dean was their brother and he
would be there.

For Craig especially, losing Dean means losing not only a brother, but a
piece of his own history—a person who had been there through the
chapters of life that no one else could fully understand. There are
memories that belong only to brothers, and those memories will now be
treasured even more. Dean’s voice, his laugh, his personality, and all
the little things that made him who he was will live on in Craig’s
heart forever.

The Uncle Who Loved to Spoil Them

Dean was an incredible uncle, and his nephew Clinton David Finley Jr.
held a very special place in his heart.

When Clinton was growing up, Uncle Dean loved to spoil him. He enjoyed
giving him things, taking care of him, making him happy, and being the
uncle who could probably be counted on to say “yes” when others
might have said “no.” But what Clinton received from Dean was much
more valuable than anything he could buy.

He received love.

Dean made Clinton feel special. He showed him that he mattered. He was
the kind of uncle whose presence became part of childhood—the kind of
person whose memories stay with you long after you grow up.

Those moments of being spoiled by Uncle Dean, the laughter, the stories,
the time they spent together, and simply knowing that Dean loved him
will be memories Clinton carries for the rest of his life.

Dean didn’t just love his nieces and nephews because they were family.
He genuinely enjoyed being their uncle. He took pride in watching them
grow, and loving them was something he did naturally and wholeheartedly.


A Special Uncle to Shelby

Dean shared a beautiful and special relationship with his niece, Shelby
Binkley. To Shelby, Uncle Dean was so much more than simply an
uncle—he was someone who made her feel loved, protected, and special.

 From the time she was young, Dean had a way of making his nieces and
nephews feel like they were the most important people in the world. He
loved to spoil them, make them laugh, and create memories that would
stay with them long after childhood was gone. Shelby was no exception.
He took great joy in watching her grow and being a part of her life.

There was something special about the way Dean loved his family. He
didn’t always need words to show it. He showed it by being present, by
checking in, by making people laugh, by giving generously, and by simply
being Uncle Dean—the person they knew loved them unconditionally.

For Shelby, some of the most precious memories of her childhood and
family life will always include him. The things he said, the way he made
her laugh, the times he spoiled her, and the feeling of being loved by
her uncle are memories that can never be taken away.

As Shelby moves forward without him, she will carry those memories in
her heart. She will always have the privilege of saying she was Dean
Finley’s niece, and he will always have a place in the story of her
life.

The love Dean gave Shelby did not end with his passing. It became part
of who she is.

And somewhere in all those memories, she will always be that little girl
being spoiled by her Uncle Dean—loved, protected, and cherished by a
man who thought she was pretty special.

A Father in Every Way That Mattered

Perhaps one of the most profound relationships Dean had was with his
stepdaughter, Christie Williams.

Dean didn’t have to become a father to Christie. He chose to.

He stepped into her life and, when she needed a father, he showed up.
When she needed someone to stand beside her, he stood beside her. When
she needed love, support, guidance, or simply someone who would be
there, Dean was there.

There were times when Christie needed her mother and her mother wasn’t
there. Dean was. He stepped into the gap and, in so many ways, became
both mother and father to her. He gave her the kind of love and presence
that no title could define.

He didn’t do it because he was obligated to. He did it because he
loved her.

For Christie, Dean wasn’t simply her stepfather. He was the man who
chose to be her dad. He showed her what it meant to have someone stay,
someone care, and someone show up even when they didn’t have to.

That kind of love leaves a mark on a person’s heart.

Christie will carry Dean with her for the rest of her life—in the
lessons he taught her, in the memories they shared, in the times he made
her laugh, and in the quiet moments when she simply knew that she
wasn’t alone because Dean was there.

There will never be a way to fully put into words what Dean meant to
Christie. But perhaps the simplest way to say it is this:

He didn’t have to be her father. He chose to be. And he loved her like
she was his own.

That choice changed her life forever.

And while the pain of losing him is profound, so is the blessing of
having been loved by him.

Dean showed up.
Dean stepped up.
Dean stayed.

And for Christie, he will always be Dad.

Family

Dean is survived by his beloved wife, Joni Finley; his father, Dean H.
Finley Sr.; his brothers, Clinton David Finley Sr. and Craig Aaron
Finley; his sisters-in-law, Linda Finley and Michele Finley; his
stepdaughter, Christie Williams; and his son-in-law, Sportland Williams.


He is also lovingly remembered by his nephew, Clinton David Finley Jr.,
and his nieces, Shelby Binkley and Adalyn Grace Finley.

Dean was a proud grandfather to Chance Fields, Carson Williams, Camden
Williams, Callie Williams, and Vivian Malone, all of whom brought great
joy and meaning to his life.

Dean was preceded in death by his beloved mother, Earline Ballard
Whatley.

Though Dean’s passing leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of
those who loved him, his memory will continue to live on through his
family, the stories they share, and the love they carry with them. His
faith assures those who loved him that death is not the end, but a
transition into eternal life with the Lord he loved so deeply.

Dean’s greatest legacy will not be measured by his career or
accomplishments, but by the people he loved and the lives he touched. He
was a brother who was there, an uncle who loved to spoil his nieces and
nephews, and a father who chose to be there for a daughter who needed
him.

He gave his family something that cannot be replaced: his presence, his
love, and the memories of a life shared together.

Dean will be deeply missed but never forgotten. His life, his faith, his
love for sports, and especially his love for his family will remain
forever in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Rest in peace, Dean.

You showed up. You stepped up. You loved us when you didn’t have to.
You were an exceptional brother, a loving uncle, and a father when
someone needed one. You spoiled us, made us laugh, stood beside us, and
gave us memories we will carry forever.

You were loved more than words can say, and you will be missed more than
words can express.

Until we meet again.