Guy E. Fincke Obituary
Guy E. Fincke, 83, passed away on Thursday, October 6, 2022, in Gloucester, the city by the sea that he loved so much. He was 83. Born to Edward and Esther Fincke in Philadelphia, he grew up in Abington, PA. Even after decades in New England, if listening carefully, one could detect the faintest Philly accent in Guy's voice.
After losing his own father when he was only 10, Guy found a community at the YMCA, which fostered his love of sports and prompted him to begin his higher education at Springfield College as a Physical Education major. As he realized he had an interest in learning about human behavior, Guy transferred to Ursinus College to complete his undergraduate degree, earning a B.A. in Psychology. He continued his studies at Temple University where he earned his master's degree and completed his doctorate (Ph.D. in Industrial Psychology) at Purdue University.
Guy began his human resources career at Western Electric Research in Princeton, NJ. It was while working there that he and Andrea Gibbs fell in love; they married in 1968. Guy then accepted a job with Hershey Foods and they moved to Camp Hill, PA, where their two daughters, Leslie and Adrienne, were born. In 1978, Guy accepted a position with Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard and the family moved to Harvard, where they would spend the next 27 years. In 2005, Guy and Andrea found their forever home in Gloucester.
In 1987, Guy followed his heart and made the leap into self-employment as a management consultant, becoming the first Group Chair in the Boston area for The Executive Committee (TEC), now Vistage, a job he loved and held for more than 30 years. When asked why he didn't retire at age 65, he said "Why would I stop doing something that I love to do?".
Guy defined success as, "helping others," and that kind and thoughtful spirit radiated in both his professional and personal life. He dedicated himself to building and maintaining relationships – from childhood playmates, to college buddies, to coworkers and clients, and his many friends from Harvard.
A lifelong learner, Guy always explored his interests, and that was especially true when it came to sports. As a child, he loved playing soccer and bodysurfing at the Jersey shore. While in Harvard, Guy devoted himself to coaching his daughters' soccer, softball and basketball teams, and was an avid tennis player. He skied, biked, sailed, windsurfed, and kayaked. In Gloucester, he took up golf and was a member of the Rockport Golf Club. As much as he enjoyed being part of the action, and following professional sports of all kinds, there was nothing Guy loved more than watching his children and grandchildren follow in his athletic footsteps. Tennis court, hockey rink, lacrosse field, soccer pitch, you name it, Guy would be cheering from the sidelines.
Guy was an avid reader and started every morning with the Gloucester Times and Boston Globe. His massive book collection is prominently displayed at home; visitors could grab any book off the shelf, and he could give a brilliantly concise summary. Whenever he read something that he thought would be of interest to people he knew, he made a photocopy (with key information, or often every word, carefully highlighted) and mailed it off to them.
After moving to Gloucester, Guy became a regular visitor to the Rocky Neck artist galleries. He chatted with artists, studied the ships in the harbor, and loved the city's sea air, rich history, and time-honored traditions. In retirement, Guy donated his time to Care Dimensions as a hospice volunteer in and around Gloucester.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Andrea Fincke, his two daughters, Leslie Fincke of Concord, NH, and Adrienne Roberto of Topsfield, his three grandchildren, Kai, Kole and Charlie Roberto, his two sons-in-law, Brett Roberto and Tim O'Sullivan, his step-grandson, Philip O'Sullivan, his brother-in-law, Paul Gibbs of Port Charlotte, FL, and his two nieces and two nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Lynne and Peter Bakker, and his sister-in-law, Catherine Gibbs.
Visiting hours will be on Sunday, October 16, from 3-5 PM at Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington St., Gloucester, MA. A celebration of Guy's life and reception will be at the North Shore Arts Association on Monday, October 17, at 12 PM.
