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HAYLEY FINLEY Obituary
August 18, 1986 - December 3, 2019
Daughter of Nancy Logan and Dave Finley, sister of Connor Finley. Born in Denton, Texas, grew up in Colorado Springs, died in Paris, France. Astrophysicist, figure skater, swing dancer, fluent French speaker, hiker, reader, tea drinker, gardener, concert goer, social coordinator, tour guide, bike rider, eager explorer, vibrant friend. Stratton Elementary, Irving Middle School, Palmer High School IB, and Carnegie Mellon University alumna. We honor who she was and her remarkable life.
Hayley loved Colorado, France, Pittsburgh, ladybugs, sunflowers, her pet rat girls, Chinook Bookstore, Sertich Ice Rink, movies at Kimball's, Girl Scouts, NPR, travel, academic challenges, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Jack White, Margaret Atwood, Harry Potter, healthy cooking, road trips, and world-wide friends. Her little brother called her Miss Perfect and annoyed her with affectionate torment.
She was the first American in the master's degree program at the Institute of Astrophysics in Paris and one of 13 students to continue on for a doctorate. She lived overseas for nine years, in Paris, Toulouse, and Stockholm, and worked as a physics researcher until taking a medical leave in 2018.
France was truly her second home. For some, Hayley was the first American they had met, and her smile, kindness, and enthusiasm are what they remember. She never tired of her route to work in Toulouse, cycling along the Canal du Midi. She traveled to 16 countries, skied a volcano in Chile, rented office space in Bali, and dedicated her dissertation with humorous sincerity "to all the friends whose weddings I have missed." She lived more fully in 33 years than many do in decades, until her darkness and despair became unmanageable.
Depression is a cruel illness and led to her suicide. Hayley's tragic death shocked everyone who knew and loved her. Friends, colleagues, and her French families gathered for her cremation at the hauntingly beautiful Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Her family is devastated.
Shine on, Hayley Fin. We miss you every day.
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Memories and Condolences
for HAYLEY FINLEY
Joan M. McConnell
August 11, 2025
An amazing life andan amazing person with a huge heart. Love to all of you!
Barb Elam
August 10, 2025
Sending love to Hayley and family, always remembered.
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gail shands
August 10, 2021
When our family visited Colorado Springs, Marc and Hayley enjoyed scooter fun! We are sending love to Nancy, Dave, and Connor and smiling about happy memories.
Kathy Peterson
September 1, 2020
OH sweet Haley! So many grand memories of our sweet neighbor girl and little brother. My sons best friends growing up. Justin and Haley picked on Connor often but also let him play sometimes. LOL
I remember she loved ladybugs so I have painted a ladybug on a rock and it sits on my front porch. Dave and Nancy are the Best- my son loved their home and being able to play with the kids. So many memories and I will miss her deeply. My heart is missing Haley. Nancy, Dave,Connor - Jerry and I will always be here for you. We love our neighbors!
PS: Haley use to try and get me to hold her pet mice and that was so not even funny in my book- but her and Justin sure laughed about it. I am petrified of those little "cuties" Haley would call them as they crawled on her shoulder as I squirmed so bad it hurt. GREAT MEMORIES!
Love you all!
Barb Elam
August 31, 2020
Such a precious one, angelic as a little girl and so talented as a young woman, from a special loving family. Her contributions made a positive difference.
Gail and Miles Shands/Kessler
August 22, 2020
The world could really use a free-spirited angel like Hayley! We are deeply saddened by her passing and send our most sincere sympathy to the entire family.
Lucky
August 19, 2020
Hayley was a wonderful friend. She was smart, pretty, cheerful, and kind hearted. It was very difficult to accept that she is no longer with us. But i'll treasure all the good memories with her. May she rest in peace. Hayley and her family are in my heart and in my prayer.
Joan McConnell
August 18, 2020
Always beautiful, kind, sweet and had a unforgettable smile.
Carol Trujillo-Fay
August 18, 2020
Hayley: If sunshine had a personality, it would be yours! I hope you have found peace. We so deeply miss you, your laugh, humor and deep intelligence. You and your family made me who I am. I hope you get to enjoy hanging strings of lights around Christmas with my Dad. I love you.
Pam Ingrassia
August 18, 2020
To the Finley family - You brought brilliance, sunshine and kindness into this world the day Hayley was born. Hayley was a genius with so much talent and so many gifts and never bragged about any of them. I loved her humbleness, gentle ways and sweet voice. She just made you wish you could be more like her. I met Hayley and Nancy at Sertich years ago and always looked forward to them stopping in to skate and say hi while Hayley was home on holiday. Such a terrible loss. The world is a sadder place without Hayley in it.
Robert Donner
August 17, 2020
I would like to offer to Nancy and family, my sincere condolences. Bob Donner former classmate from LNHS.
Valerie
August 16, 2020
I am so sorry for your loss! Hayley sounds like a woman anyone would be honored to know. Having been close to 3 suicides, I wanted to send my condolences in your tragic loss
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