Tuesday, April 3, 2012

fin

 

Just wanted to update you...


If you would like to come to celebrate Rob's life, we are going to have a celebration of life on Friday (4/6) between the hours of 6:30 to 8:30 pm at our church - at the corner of 4500 S and 2700 E (the pagoda church) in Salt Lake.


Saturday (4/7) we will have a memorial service at 12 noon at the church as well. You may come to the church an hour before to visit us before the memorial service, if you so choose.

We thank you for your support. We love you. Rob is grateful for the love and support you have shown us.

Rob, you are missed. We love you.

With love,

Jacob, Gabrielle, Noah, Jessica, and of course, Robert.

xoxo


I wanted to share the obituary that will run in Thursday's paper...


Robert Edward Finlinson 1970 ~ 2012

Rob passed away courageously due to lung cancer on April 3, 2012. He was born November 3, 1970 to the best parents: Elaine and Steven Finlinson. He was the 3rd of seven great kids: Doug {Elizabeth}, Gregg {Kim}, Randall, Tarali {single and available}, Richard {Sharon} and Angie {Chad Killpack}. He married the most beautiful woman in the world, Jessica Anne {Tice} Finlinson in the LDS Salt Lake Temple. Together they had the coolest four children, Jacob, Gabrielle, Kayli, and Noah. His twin brother, Randall, and his daughter, Kayli, preceded Robert in death.

He lived a full life in half the time.  In his short time he served as a full-time LDS missionary in the Japan, Sendai Mission.  He climbed the Tetons, Mayan pyramids, and assisted in the sculpting of the angel Moroni topping the new LDS temples. He enjoyed the beauties of this earth.

In lieu of flowers or plants, the family would prefer donations made to the Robert E. & Jessica A. Finlinson Family Trust Fund. Chocolate will also be accepted. Friends and enemies {he didn’t have one} may visit between the hours of 6:30 to 8:30 pm on Friday, April 6 also at 11 am on Saturday, April 7. A memorial service will be held Saturday at 12 noon, both will be held at the LDS chapel (pagoda chapel) on the corner of 4500 S & 2700 E, SLC, UT.

**Rob wrote the above obituary before he died. With the diagnosis of lung cancer, he started and completed his mechanical engineering degree at the University of Utah. OttoBock Healthcare employed him for nine years, where he designed prosthetic components for amputees. He loved his work, his company, and the people with whom he associated. We are so incredibly grateful for the many years of support you gave him (you know what you have done and we have felt the difference – thank you). Words cannot express our gratitude.

We are grateful for the many who have supported our family over the years, including: CNS (Barb, Camille, and Dana), Dr. Litton, Dr. Macpherson, Jessica’s work, family, friends, neighbors, and ward members.

Rob was the epitome of Christ-like love and service. He was a man without guile. He looked for ways to help others, always generous with his time and talents. Robert was an amazing son, brother, dad, uncle, and friend.  Jessica was so blessed to have Rob as a husband for nearly 19 years and they look forward to being with each other again. He was the best Dad! Rob was kind, patient, and a wonderful teacher to his children and many others. Though a gentle and quiet man, he had a strong voice and would often surprise and inspire us by saying something funny, clever, or wise.

Rob, we already miss you, may you breathe deep and climb on. We love you.


Dear, Sweet Man

My love, my heart has died.

Over the last few days, I could see a decline in Rob. He was in distress a lot. It was difficult to breathe. He was such a trooper - he really didn't let on that he was in pain or having trouble breathing. I could tell because of the way he took his breaths. Quick breaths. Shallow breaths. Using all of his muscles, not just moving his chest up and down.

2:25 this morning, he was able to leave his cancer-ridden body and join our daughter, his twin brother, and his grandparents in heaven. He was surrounded by me, our children, his parents, sister, and my mom. We were all cheering him on letting him know that it was OK to leave us.

He is the most amazing man. Kind, loyal, sensitive, caring, happy, artistic, wonderful, funny, loving. I love him with all my heart. He will be missed incredibly.

Funeral service will be sometime this week. Still working out the logistics - waiting for Arizona, California, Texas, and Florida family members to arrive. I will update as soon as I know.