A newspaper article publised by the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch on April 30, 1967. It is titled "Finley Leaves with Laughter" written by Harold Tuthill. The article talks about his retirement from the St. Louis Public Schools and the testimonial dinner held in his honor. Mostly the article talks about what was said about him and his career. In addition, there is a photograph of Otis E. Finley Sr. and Jr. along with his graduates.
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Finley was born in 1898. He graduated from the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (Alabama) in 1920. The following year, he attended Springfield College, where he was a member of the track, baseball, basketball, and football teams. Immediately after graduating, Finley began teaching physical education and religion at Lincoln University (Missouri). In 1926, he became the director of physical education at the Virginia Normal Institute. After only a year, Finley began teaching at Municipal University. In 1928, he took a job as the physical director of Missouri Schools in St. Louis. Although he held a number of different positions after this post, Finley spent the rest of his life working and living in St. Louis. He served as the director of physical education at Washington Technical High School (1945-1959), the athletics director at the local Hadley Technical High School (1959-1964), and the varsity football and track coach at Vashow High School (1964-1967). On June 14, 1969, Springfield College awarded him the Tarbell Medallion. He passed away on August 26, 1979. Throughout his life, Finley volunteered with a number of scouting and athletic organizations.
