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Marjorie Finlay (1928 - 2003)

A photo of Marjorie Finlay
Marjorie Finlay
1928 - 2003
Born
October 5, 1928
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Death
June 1, 2003
Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Other Names
Marjorie Finlay (Moehlenkamp)
Summary
Marjorie Finlay was born on October 5, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. According to her family tree, Marjorie was mother to 1 child. She married Robert Bruce Finlay, and they had a child Andrea Gardner Finlay. She died on June 1, 2003 in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States at 74 years old.
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Updated: August 31, 2022
Marjorie Finlay Marjorie Finlay (1928 - 2003)
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Introduction
Marjorie (Moehlenkamp) Finlay was born to Elmer Henry (1897-1972) and Cora Lee (1900-1962) (Morrow) Moehlenkamp and had a sister Virginia Humphrey (1924-2005). In the 1930 census, when Marjorie was one year old, she was living with her grandparents Henry J. (age 72) and Emma (age 66) Moehlenkamp. Also in the St. Louis Missouri household were her parents and Martin (age 35), Irene (age 35), Ruth (age 16), and Virginia (age 5) Moehlenkamp. Marjorie married Robert Bruce Finlay (1920 -2003) on March 22nd 1952 in Palm Beach Florida. Bruce was president of Raymond Construction Co. See Moehlenkamp, Finlay Wedding in South Mar. 22 for a copy of Marjorie and Bruce's wedding announcement which appeared in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat in Missouri. Marjorie had a love and talent for music, especially singing, since an early age. She began her singing career while in high school at St. Charles High School in Saint Charles Missouri. Her first singing teacher was Miss Pearl Walker of Lindenwood College, who she studied under while attending high school, and who she continued studying with while attending Lindenwood. After college Marjorie's signing career really took off. An article in the January 13th 1962 edition of the St Louis Globe Democrat says that Marjorie, a native of St. Charles and former Lindenwood College student sang with the Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys and the St. Louis Symphony at it's 3rd pop concert of the season. Marjorie was a soprano and sang 2 operatic arias: "Fanciulla Sbocciato d l'amore" (Puccini, "La Rondine") and the "Jewel Song" (Gounod's "Faust"), however, she also sang several popular songs. Marjorie toured after graduation with the "Music With the Girls' network radio show (as a soloist.), and was described in the paper as "the attractive soprano". After marrying her husband Robert, whose work took him to Havana, Puerto Rico, then to Caracas and back to Puerto Rico, Marjorie sang with symphony orchestras and in opera at each city. In San Juan, she had her own tv program called "El Show Pan-Americano". Musical talent (and beauty) obviously runs in the family as she is the grandmother of the famous singer Taylor Swift. Track 13 on Taylor Swifts' album released on December 11 2020 is titled "marjorie" - a song dedicated to and about her grandmother. Read the lyrics: Marjorie Lyrics - Taylor Swift - they embody what all of us feel when someone we love and admire passes and what AncientFaces is all about. Swift said about Marjorie "starring my grandmother, Marjorie, who still visits me sometimes . . . if only in my dreams." In the track, Swift honors her late grandmother, singing, "And if I didn't know better, I'd think you were talking to me now. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were still around." Grandma Marjorie died in June 2003 in Swift's hometown of Reading, PA, when Swift was 13 years old.
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Biography
Marjorie Finlay
Most commonly known as
Marjorie Finlay
Full name
Marjorie (Moehlenkamp) Finlay
Other names or aliases
Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania 19611
Last known residence
Female
Gender
Marjorie Finlay was born on in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee United States
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Birth
Marjorie Finlay died on in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania United States
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Death
Birth
Death
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Cause of death
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Burial / Funeral
Heritage

Ethnicity & Lineage

Marjorie was Caucasian - her ancestors were from Germany. She was raised in St. Charles Missouri and lived in Central and South America due to her husband's job.

Nationality & Locations

Marjorie was a United States citizen. She was born in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee and lived in many places in South America due to her husband's work at his construction company. These locations included Havana Cuba, Caracas, and Puerto Rico. She was well known in her hometowns of St. Louis and St. Charles Missouri and died in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Childhood

Education

Marjorie attended St. Charles High School in Saint Charles Missouri and then graduated from Lindenwood College in 1949 with a Bachelor's degree. She was a member of the sorority Mu Phi Epsilon and Delta Phi Delta. She also attended Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, Massachusetts. Lindenwood University gave Marjorie an alumni award in 1961.

Religion

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Baptism

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Adulthood

Professions

Shortly after college, Marjorie sang with the Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys and the St. Louis Symphony at it's 3rd pop concert of the season. In 1950 when Marjorie was twenty-one years old she worked as a receptionist at Boatmen's National Bank at 300 N. Broadway. It was during this time that she became one of the five final contestants for ABC's "Music With The Girls." (See St. Charles Soprano Wins 1st 'Music With The Girls' Trials). Marjorie became a successful entertainer and opera singer who had great success in South America and before she was married was a guest soloist with a NBC and CBS network show "Music With The Girls". She was also very popular in Puerto Rico, entertaining for an hour each night on APA-TV in Santuce P.R. on the television show "El Show Pan-Americano". A copy of a newspaper article about her career can be found at Margie - the Parr of Puerto Rico.

Personal Life

Marjorie (Moehlenkamp) Finlay was born to Elmer Henry (1897-1972) and Cora Lee (Morrow) Moehlenkamp (1900-1962) and had a sister Virginia Humphrey (1924-2005). The family lived at 1941 Elm in St. Charles Missouri. Previously, Elmer had lived at 1503 Palm St. in St. Louis. Marjorie married Robert Finlay who was the president of Raymond Construction Company in Palm Beach Florida on March 22nd 1952 and stayed at Casa Rosada (See Moehlenkamp, Finlay Wedding in South Mar. 22.) After their marriage, the couple traveled extensively as Raymond's job took him to Havana where the company was located, then to Puerto Rico due to political unrest, then to Caracas, and back to Puerto Rico. At each stop Marjorie sang with the symphony orchestras and in various operas. At the Finlay's home in San Juan Marjorie had her own television program El Show Pan-Americano on APA-TV in Santurce. She also performed concerts, sang opera and at supper clubs, and was an honorary captain of the Puerto Rican National Guard. Marjorie dedicated much of her life to the appreciation of music and to entertaining others. Beginning at a young age, in high school through college, and then of course in her adult life performing in the States but also abroad particularly in South America.

Military Service

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Obituary
Marjorie Finlay's obituary

Average Age

Marjorie Finlay lived 8 years longer than the average Finlay family member when she died at the age of 74.

Life Expectancy

The average age of a Finlay family member is 66.
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In Our Town - St Louis Globe-Democrat

The following appeared in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat in St. Louis Missouri on Tuesday January 9th 1962 written by Bob Goodard: Marjorie Finlay, the attractive soprano who'll appear as a soloist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at its pop concert Sunday afternoon, is better known out St. Charles way as Marjorie Moehlenkamp. Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Moehlenkamp, 1941 Elm, St. Charles. Marjorie began her signing career while in high school. Her first teacher was Miss Pearl Walker of Lindenwood College, and she kept right on studying with her while attending Lindenwood. After graduation, Marjorie toured, as a soloist with the "Music With the Girls" network radio show, studied at Tanglewood in the Massachusetts Berkshires, and then in New York, where she met and married Robert Finlay. His work with a heavy contracting company took him first to Hanava, then to Puerto Rico, then to Caracas, and back to Puerto Rico. At each stop Marjorie sang with the symphony orchestras and in opera. In San Juan, where the Finlays now live, she has had her own tv program, does concert, opera and supper club singing. She's also an honorary captain of the Puerto Rican National Guard. Last October she returned to Lindenwood to receive a citation as one of the school's outstanding graduates.
Daniel Pinna
Daniel Pinna shared
on Aug 09, 2022 4:20 PM

St. Charles Soprano Wins 1st 'Music With The Girls' Trials

The following appeared in The St. Louis Star and Times in St. Louis Missouri on Monday February 27th 1950: Miss Marjorie Moehlenkamp, 21-year-old receptionist at Boatmen's National Bank, 300 N. Broadway, yesterday won over four other contestants the right to appear March 19 on the network broadcast from St. Louis of the American Broadcasting Co. program, "Music With the Girls." The program is broadcast over KXOK, The Star-Times station. Miss Moehlenkamp, a soprano, was one of five St. Louis area girls who completed in the after-broadcast show yesterday in the Gold Room of the Hotel Jefferson. She was chosen on the reading of an electric applause meter winning five points more than her closest competitor. A large crowd witnessed the program, first of five to originate in St. Louis and which are being presented here on behalf of the 1950 St. Louis Red Cross fund drive. The competitive show followed the regular broadcast from 5:30 to 6p.m. Former Mayor Aloys P. Kaufmann, chairman of this year's drive, spoke after the broadcast. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer H. Moehlenkamp of St. Charles, Mo., Miss Mohlenkamp is a graduate of Lindenwood College and prior to graduation last June was a soloist with the Lindenwood choir. The other four contestants participating yesterday were Miss Harriet Libby, vocalist and pianist, of 4 Layton terr., Richmand Heights; Miss Bea Caplin, vocalist, of 4307 Lexington ave.; Miss Audrey McEwen, whistler, of 3949 Washington ave.; Miss Betty Kleinman, saxophonist, of Granite City, and Miss Leah Bradley of Murphysboro, Ill., an instrumental duet. The second of the five St. Louis-originated broadcasts and after-broadcast shows will be next Sunday from loretto Gymnasium of Webster College, Webster Groves. Tickets for this broadcast are available at the St. Louis and Webster Groves chapters, American Red Cross, and at The Star-Times Building. Another local talent hunt, featuring five girl acts from the St. Louis area, will follow the broadcast. A photo that appeared in the article can be found at Marjorie Moehlenkamp - Talent Contest Winner
Daniel Pinna
Daniel Pinna shared
on Aug 09, 2022 4:02 PM

Margie - the Parr of Puerto Rico

Every night, via television, thousand of Puerto Ricans are charmed and entertained by a lovely young woman, a former St. Charlesan. She is Marjorie Mochlenkamp Finlay. Known professionally as Margie Finley, she is mistress of ceremony, sharing m.c. duties with Pumerejo, well known entertainment personality from Cuba, on a variety program, "El Show Pan Americano," for an hour each night on APA-TV in Santuce, P.R. The program has a more or less Jack Parr format... The professional world of entertainment was not new to Margie when she entered the television field. She did concert work in several South American countries, and before her marriage was guest soloist with a network show, "Music With the Girls," heard both on NBC and CBS for fifteen months. She has sung with the Puerto Rico Symphony and had leading roles in musical productions and light operas in South America...This spring she entered a new field when she vut her first LP record album in Mexico...Her most recent foray into a new entertainment medium was a two-week engagement at the LaConcah Room at the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico. Her parents had always discouraged her from doing supper club work, and she accepted the engagement only after assuring them that "this will be very dignified." Newspaper reviews from Puerto Rico indicate that her debut was met with enthusiasm as had never been seen in the LaConcha Room before. For Margie Finlay has become the darling of the island...Puerto Ricans describe her as having "the girl next door manner." Each night as she leaves the studio she is surrounded by fans of all ages... When she was a high school student, she became a pupil of Miss Pearl Walker, music professor at Lindenwood. She continued to study under Dr. Walker, for whom she has superlative praise, until she graduated from LC in 1949. She returned to the campus in 1953 to give a concert. After college came the radio show which she left to study at the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood, Mass. She did further study in New York. She married to Robert Finley, president of Raymond Construction Co...He took his bride to live in Havana, his home office at the time, but as Cuban political unrest grew the business was moved to PUerto Rico. From there the Finlays went to Venzuela, until the revolutionists dampened construction activities there...Now they are back in Puerto Rico, living in Santurce, a suburb of San Juan. The Finlays are the parents of two daughters, aged 3 and 4, who are now enjoying a visit with their grandparents in St. Charles, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Mohlenkamp, whil Margie and Bob spend a month's holidy in Europe...Reprinted from The St. Charles Banner-News.
Daniel Pinna
Daniel Pinna shared
on Dec 11, 2020 1:25 AM

Marjorie Lyrics - Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift released the song "Marjorie" which is a homage to her grandmother on album released 12/11/2020 [Verse 1] Never be so kind You forget to be clever Never be so clever You forget to be kind [Pre-Chorus] And if I didn't know better I'd think you were talking to me now If I didn't know better I'd think you were still around [Chorus] What died didn't stay dead What died didn't stay dead You're alive, you're alive in my head What died didn't stay dead What died didn't stay dead You're alive, so alive [Verse 2] Never be so politе You forget your power Nevеr wield such power You forget to be polite [Pre-Chorus] And if I didn't know better I'd think you were listening to me now If I didn't know better I'd think you were still around [Chorus] What died didn't stay dead What died didn't stay dead You're alive, you're alive in my head What died didn't stay dead What died didn't stay dead You're alive, so alive [Bridge] The autumn chill that wakes me up You loved the amber skies so much Long limbs and frozen swims You'd always go past where our feet could touch And I complained the whole way there The car ride back and up the stairs I should've asked you questions I should've asked you how to be Asked you to write it down for me Should've kept every grocery store receipt 'Cause every scrap of you would be taken from me Watched as you signed your name: Marjorie All your closets of backlogged dreams And how you left them all to me [Chorus] What died didn't stay dead What died didn't stay dead You're alive, you're alive in my head What died didn't stay dead What died didn't stay dead You're alive, so alive [Outro] And if I didn't know better I'd think you were singing to me now If I didn't know better I'd think you were still around I know better But I still feel you all around I know better But you're still around
Kathy Pinna
Kathy Pinna shared
on Dec 11, 2020 1:06 AM

Moehlenkamp, Finlay Wedding in South Mar. 22

The following appeared in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat newspaper in St. Louis Missouri on Sunday February 24th 1952: Mr. and Mrs. Elmer H. Moehlenkamp of St. Charles have announced the engagement of their daughter, Miss Marjorie Moehlenkamp, to Robert Bruce Finlay. He is the son of Mrs. Lance G. Finley of Bronxville, N.Y., and the late Mr. Finlay. The Moehlenkamp family will leave early in March for Palm Beach Fla., where the wedding will take place Mar. 22. During their stay they will be at Casa Rosada. An alumna of Lindenwood College, where her sorority was Mu Phi Epsilon, the bride-to-be attended Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, Mass., last summer. She spent the early winter in New York. Her elder sister is Mrs. Donald M. Humphrey of Victorville, Cal. Mr. Finlay, who lived in St. Louis for two years, is now in Havana, Cuba, on an engineering project. He attended Princeton University and is a graduate of the University of Virginia. The bridegroom-elect, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, is a brother of Mrs. Duane Smith of Bronxville. A copy of the image that appeared in this wedding announcement can be found at Marjorie Moehlenkamp Wedding Announcement
Daniel Pinna
Daniel Pinna shared
on Dec 10, 2020 11:11 PM
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Family Tree

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Marjorie's Family Tree

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Marjorie Finlay Marjorie Finlay
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Partner
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Relationships

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Robert Bruce Finlay

&

Marjorie Finlay

Marriage: Date unknown
Status: Together
Marjorie Finlay Marjorie Finlay
Robert Bruce Finlay Robert Bruce Finlay
Andrea Gardner Finlay Andrea Gardner Finlay
Child

Spouse:

Robert Bruce Finlay
Nov 8, 1920 - Apr 23, 2003

Children:

Andrea Gardner Finlay
Born Jan 10, 1958

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Obituary

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Mother to 1 child, she passed away on June 1, 2003 in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States at age 74. Marjorie Finlay was born on October 5, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. According to her family tree, she married Robert Bruce Finlay, and they had a child Andrea Gardner Finlay.
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1928 - 2003 World Events

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In 1928, in the year that Marjorie Finlay was born, Mickie Mouse was born! He first appeared in Disney's Steamboat Willie, along with Minnie. Although they were in two previous shorts, this was the first to be distributed. Steamboat Willie took advantage of the new technology and was a "talkie" - music was coordinated with the animation. It became the most popular cartoon of its day.

In 1946, when she was 18 years old, pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock's book "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" was published. It sold half a million copies in the first six months. Aside from the Bible, it became the best selling book of the 20th century. A generation of Baby Boomers were raised by the advice of Dr. Spock.

In 1970, Marjorie was 42 years old when on May 1st, US troops invaded Cambodia, expanding the Vietnam War. The invasion of Cambodia was a Nixon policy, although it was argued against by both his Secretary of State and his Secretary of Defense.

In 1983, Marjorie was 55 years old when "crack" cocaine was developed in the Bahamas and spread to the United States. Previously, cocaine had been cut with other substances, diluting it. Crack was 80% pure and therefore was more addictive. It was also cheaper, making it more easily available to low income neighborhoods.

In 1996, she was 68 years old when on April 3rd, Theodore Kaczynski (nicknamed the Unabomber) was arrested. His mailed or hand-delivered bombs, sent between 1978 and 1995, killed three people and injured 23 others. Diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, Kaczynski is serving 8 life sentences without the possibility of parole.

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