Rex Garret (Gary) Finley, P.E. passed away on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at the Missouri Veterans home at 89 years of age. Gary was a registered civil engineer in 21 states. Gary served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army, attaining the rank of first lieutenant.  Gary served in the 44th engineering construction battalion, also known as the 44th broken heart brigade.  He served in the 24th combat engineer group, 8th army, in Korea during the Korean War.  After his Army service he enjoyed a very good career in the construction of highways, bridges, culvert, dams, water and sewer facilities, flood control, turnpikes, airfields, inter-continental ballistic missile bases, ammunition production facilities, residential community roads development, numerous manufacturing plants as well as many consulting assignments. He capped his career as a principal engineer of 3M tape engineering. He served as chairman of the board of Kemper military school in Boonville, MO, and as a trustee for the Minnesota professional engineers foundation and for the Kemper military school alumni trust. He was active in the development and growth of the El Zaribah Shine, transportation endowment, and the Missouri Professional Engineers Education Foundation. He served in a number of offices of the NSPE National Society of professional engineers, including twice as a national vice president.  He was active in a number of engineering technical societies.  He was a great supporter of the Missouri State University Bear Battalion ROTC program.
His family, friends, and colleagues recall that he possessed a high energy level, an "inordinate sense of urgency", a passion for snow skiing everywhere , and boundless enthusiasm for life.

Gary is survived by his sons Rex Garret II and Stuart, grandsons Mathew, Erik, and Kristoff, and his nephew Dennis Finley and great niece Grace Finley and many friends he treasured as family.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, November 8, 2019 at 11:30 AM at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. Burial with full military honors will follow at Missouri Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday, November 7 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.