Gail Ann            Re Finlay

Gail Ann (Baldelli) Re Finlay, 57, of Newtown, died September 13, at Danbury Hospital, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born January 21, 1955, daughter of Mary (Dratch) and Mario Baldelli.

Ms Finlay grew up on Candlewood Lake where she developed her passion for the water. She attended Danbury Schools and worked as a hair stylist and manicurist. She owned her own shop for nearly 20 years, and as a designer/CAD drafter was part owner of Finlay & Associates. She was most recently employed at Laurel Ridge Health Care Center as an A/R assistant in the finance department.

She lived in Massachusetts and Rhode Island for more than 20 years, coming back to Connecticut eight years ago.

Ms Finlay was a person who loved life and projected that love to anyone who came in contact with her. Her family and friends were most cherished.

She is survived by her husband, Johnny Finlay; two beautiful daughters and their husbands, Natasha (Re) and Erik White, of Providence, R.I., and Tanya (Re) and Patrick Cahill of Cumberland, R.I; and a stepdaughter Kim (Finlay) and her husband Jeff DiDonato of Wolcott. She loved and adored her four grandsons. She also leaves behind her BFF, Nancy Silvestri of Danbury, and many other friends and cousins, whom she referred to as her “cousin sisters.”

Ms Finlay will be remembered by her infectious smile, warm spirit, and her enormous heart, and as a person who lit up a room when she entered it. They say angels walk among us every day here on earth, and family and friends know that she was clearly one of them. “Now she has the wings to prove it.”

Funeral services were conducted September 17.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Ann’s Place, Home of I Can, 80 Saw Mill Road, Danbury CT 06810, or Praxair Cancer Center, 24 Hospital Avenue, Danbury CT 06810.

The Newtown Bee      September 21, 2012