Colin Finney Obituary

FINNEY, Colin Colin Michael Finney died on May 20, 2008 from complications related to carcinoid cancer. He was 58. He is survived by his loving wife for 29 years and best friend Denise Rennis, his devoted mother Jayne, his brother Nigel (wife Jeanne), his brother Roger (wife Jeannine), and nephews Todd, David, and Clement. Colin was born in Port Pirie, Australia. He traveled extensively over his lifetime and lived in Australia, England, France, the Virgin Islands, and the United States. He was a marine scientist and an award winning author and historian. He held a PhD from Imperial College, London, a Masters Degree from the University of Delaware, and a Bachelors Degree from Union College, NY. His book To Sail Beyond the Sunset: Natural History in Australia won the Australian Fellowship of Writers' C. J. Dennis Prize, the Whitley Prize for best historical writing on natural history, and formed the basis for the British Museum exhibition "First Impressions". His second book, Paradise Regained: Naturalists in Nineteenth Century Australia, A Social History was completed as a Sir Thomas Ramsey Science and Humanities Fellow at the Museum of Victoria, Australia. Colin had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. He was a Research Associate at Imperial College, a Research Fellow at the Science Museum, London, a Visiting Scholar at the Bakken Library, Minneapolis, and an Assistant Professor at Portland State University and the University of the Virgin Islands. He had a keen interest in scientific research, maps, and computer-based training. He produced award-winning educational training web sites and three children's educational software programs. In his earlier years, Colin served in the Peace Corps as a Lecturer at the Universidad Catholica de Valparaiso, Chile. Colin Finney was an avid sportsman with a particular interest in kiteboarding, sailing, and running. He had a competitive nature and a love of the outdoors, ice cream, and a good cup of coffee. He also had a deep concern for the environment and social injustice. He has been described by those who knew him as witty, intelligent with a good sense of humor, curious, energetic, kind, generous, caring, thoughtful, and gentle. Colin was all this and more. He was a gifted and unique individual who is and will forever be sorely missed. Visit our guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths.