Obituary : Lee F. Finkenbinder
Lee Faylor Finkenbinder, mother of Cynthia Lee Barletta of Edgartown, died suddenly and peacefully Monday, Nov. 3, at Green Ridge Village in Newville, Penn. She was 93 years old.
During her last weekend, she participated in a memorial service for one of her church and Green Ridge peers, attended a Shippensburg Town Band Concert and even played bingo the morning of her death. An active participant in many community organizations, Lee will be remembered most by many for her incredible memory and ability to relate historical facts and events.
Educated in rural Pennsylvania, Lee attended a local one-room school, graduated from high school at age 16, and in 1936 gradated from Shippensburg State Normal School (now Shippensburg University). As an English, French and Latin teacher, she taught in area high schools for over 40 years.
Lee also fancied herself as a newspaperwoman and in fact had been a News-Chronicle writer in her college days. As an avid Penn State Nittany Lions fan, she never missed an opportunity, even in her elder years, to call sports editors if she felt they had not represented her team adequately. She savored the experience of reading the Martha's Vineyard newspapers for the last 22 years.
Lee was a life and honored member of many organizations. These included: PA Association of School Retirees, Cumberland County Chapter; PA Public School Employee Retirees; the Civic Club of Shippensburg where she was chaplain for a number of years; Shippensburg and Newville Historical Societies; Shippensburg University Alumni Association, where she was recently honored as a 70 year member; the Middle Spring and Mifflin Grange for 76 years; Shippensburg AARP #2525; the Big Spring Senior Center; and the Green Ridge Red Hatters. She was also an active member of the First United Presbyterian church in Newville.
Preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Simon R. Finkenbinder, she is survived by daughter Cynthia and son Seth R. Finkenbinder of Shippensburg. She is also survived by Seth's wife, Fay, and his daughters Anita and spouse Matthew Smith of Mechanicsburg; Kelly and spouse Brian Saul (currently serving in Iraq) and their children Ryan and Victoria of Lawton, Okla.; and Diana and spouse Jonathan Feiser of Alexandria, Va.
As per Lee's wishes, a private family service of Christian burial with interment in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Shippensburg was held Friday, Nov. 7. A public Christian service of resurrection and celebration of life was held Saturday, Nov. 22, at the First United Presbyterian Church in Newville. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 111 Big Spring Avenue, Newville, PA 17241 or Green Ridge Village, 210 Big Spring Road, Newville, PA 17241 or charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements were made through Egger Funeral Home in Newville.
