Carl E Finton

Carl Edwin Finton, age 95, founder of Carlene Farms, in the Stonecreek Valley, between New Philadelphia, and Stonecreek, passed away late Thursday afternoon, January 29, 2009, in Country Club Retirement Campus, at Dover, where he has resided only for the past year. Born at home on November 18, 1913, he was the last surviving of three sons of the late Charles Clifford and Hattie Bahmer Finton.Carl was a master storyteller and was well known to spin local history for an audience large or small. He began attending school at a one-room schoolhouse, known as Paulus School, going to and from his lessons riding a pony. Carl went on to spend a year at Bakersville High School, then two years at Stonecreek High School, and ultimately completed his senior year with the New Philadelphia High School Class of 1931. Following graduation, Carl joined his family in the operation of their dairy farm. He quickly earned a leadership role when his father died in 1936. All told, Carl spent 94 of his 95 years on his family’s farm. Beginning in the 1950’s he served other farmers as an insurance representative for the former Sonnenberg Mutual Insurance Company, now a part of Lightning-Rod Mutual Insurance Company. Working day an night left little time for socializing, but Carl did find companionship with a lovely young neighbor whom he met through Christian Endeavour; Arline Baker. The couple wed August 18, 1936, and together observed nearly seventy-two anniversaries, prior to her death on July 7, 2008. Carl and Arline were dedicated to dairy farming, parsing their names to create the name of their farm, and were lifetime members of the Tuscarawas County Farm Bureau, belonging to the original council #4. A longtime member and elder of Jerusalem Church., in 1951, Carl temporarily took on the duty of opening and closing graves for the church cemetery, “until a suitable person could be found” to fill the position. Fifty-eight years later, his family continues the responsibilities Carl maintained for decades. He was also a member of the Central Ohio Breeding Association, and its board of directors, the Ohio and National Holstein Association, the Dairy Herd Improvement Board, and its local board of directors, and the Tuscarawas County Historical Society. For twenty years, Carl served as chairman of the Tuscarawas Water and Soil Conservation District. Mr. Finton leaves behind a family, many of whom carry on the family tradition of dairy farming on Carlene Farms, that includes his only son; Cliff and wife Connie Finton, who oversee the operation of the farm, a granddaughter; Suzanne and husband J.D. Loy of Azle, Texas, and two grandsons; Charles and wife Lisa Finton and Matthew Finton, all of Carlene Farms. Four great-grandchildren; Jeffrey Loy, Chris Finton, Kurt Finton, and Brittany Finton, and numerous nieces and nephews complete the family. In addition to his parents and beloved wife, Carl is preceded in death by his brothers; Waldo and Paul Finton. Friends are invited to call Sunday, February 1, 2009, from 2-4 and from 7-9 in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. Dr. Terry Downin will lead Mr. Finton’s service Monday, February 2, 2009, at 11AM in Jerusalem Church. Carl will be laid to rest alongside his wife in the church cemetery following the ceremony. Family and friends will return to the church for a luncheon following the committal service. Those unable to attend are invited to share memories and condolences by visiting the funeral home’s website.Carl’s personality was unforgettable; his sense of humor – one of a kind, his faith – steadfast. Accordingly, his family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Jerusalem Church Building Fund, 1417 Stonecreek Road SW, New Philadelphia, OH 44663, for the benefit of future generations in the Stonecreek Valley.