Obituary for Elmer Bryce Finch
Bryce Finch, 1924-2019. Soldier, Professional Photographer, Photo-Technologist.
Bryce Finch, born Elmer Bryce Finch in Doniphan, Missouri, went to be with his Lord on Friday, September 20 in Carrollton, Texas. Funeral service will be Monday, September 30, 1:00pm at Highlands Funeral Home, 3331 Taylorsville Rd., Louisville. Visitation prior to service 11:30 am -1:00pm with interment following in Louisville’s Cave Hill cemetery next to his beloved wife of 60 years, Doris. Rev. David Garrard officiating.
Bryce majored in Chemistry for his first two years at Southwest Missouri Baptist College before enlisting in the US Army in 1943. He received engineering training at St. Bonaventure University, and then served three years as a Sergeant leading light mortars across Europe with the 104th Infantry division. On November 16, 1944 he was wounded during an intense but successful three day assault on the German Siegfried Line near Stolberg and Hill 287. Treated in a forward field hospital, he soon returned to his unit and completed the campaign to the Elbe River outside Berlin and linkup with the Soviet allied army. He was awarded three bronze stars and the purple heart. The 104th Division endured 195 days of continuous combat across Belgium, Holland, and Germany.
After the war he graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1947 earning “Who’s Who in American Colleges” recognition and the school’s award for physics. Post graduate education was at the New York Institute of Photography. Hired by the Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville, Tennessee for the Art Department, he created the photography studio supporting Baptist publications. A display in Nashville shows his cover photos for the Baptist Home Life magazine from 1947-1960. In 1959 he was recognized as “Master Photographer” by the Professional Photographers of America at their ceremony in Los Angeles attended by Rock Hudson and other luminaries.
Bryce hired and trained staff for the studio. Studio staff recall Bryce as “the best boss ever,” “patient, never angry, who taught me everything I know about photography, thought of me as his protégé and was proud of my work.”
Bryce was commissioned in the US Army Reserve, Military Intelligence branch and served 30 years retiring as Lieutenant Colonel. Military education in Intelligence, logistics (Industrial College of the Armed Forces) and Command & General Staff followed. Bryce served in the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington. He was most proud of his contribution to planning for the Son Tay Raid in Vietnam in 1970 using his photo interpretation skills.
In Nashville, Bryce married Doris Brown in 1950. His family grew with son, Stephen and daughter, Valerie. In 1960 Bryce became a photographer for Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York, later transferring to graphic arts tech rep in Columbus, Ohio, and to Louisville, Kentucky in 1971 working with printing companies.
A lifelong member of Baptist churches, Bryce served as a deacon in First Baptist, Nashville, helped lead a renovation campaign in Lake Avenue Baptist in Rochester, and was a faithful member of the Hannah class of St. Matthews Baptist in Louisville, as well as serving in different capacities there.
In retirement, Bryce enjoyed travel, especially to Europe and Israel. He loved his 104th division reunions and retracing their WWII march across France, Holland, Belgium and Germany, including heartwarming receptions from liberated towns. Bryce served as President of the 104th division association (Timberwolves) keeping connections to many veterans and widows.
Bryce devoted himself to the care of his ailing wife for several years. He enjoyed his grandchildren. We recall a family reunion in Maine where he spent some hours assembling a thousand piece puzzle with granddaughter Steffi, who inherited his meticulous cast of mind and talent for spatial relations and math.
Bryce was preceded in death by his wife, Doris in 2011, his parents and 4 sisters. He is survived by son, Stephen (Kim) of Nashville,TN, daughter Valerie Moon (Alan) of Carrollton, TX, grandsons, Jonathan, Daniel (Alexandria), granddaughter Stephanie (Kevin) and two great grandchildren, Kennedy and Atticus, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Bryce Finch, born Elmer Bryce Finch in Doniphan, Missouri, went to be with his Lord on Friday, September 20 in Carrollton, Texas. Funeral service will be Monday, September 30, 1:00pm at Highlands Funeral Home, 3331 Taylorsville Rd., Louisville. Visitation prior to service 11:30 am -1:00pm with interment following in Louisville’s Cave Hill cemetery next to his beloved wife of 60 years, Doris. Rev. David Garrard officiating.
Bryce majored in Chemistry for his first two years at Southwest Missouri Baptist College before enlisting in the US Army in 1943. He received engineering training at St. Bonaventure University, and then served three years as a Sergeant leading light mortars across Europe with the 104th Infantry division. On November 16, 1944 he was wounded during an intense but successful three day assault on the German Siegfried Line near Stolberg and Hill 287. Treated in a forward field hospital, he soon returned to his unit and completed the campaign to the Elbe River outside Berlin and linkup with the Soviet allied army. He was awarded three bronze stars and the purple heart. The 104th Division endured 195 days of continuous combat across Belgium, Holland, and Germany.
After the war he graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1947 earning “Who’s Who in American Colleges” recognition and the school’s award for physics. Post graduate education was at the New York Institute of Photography. Hired by the Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville, Tennessee for the Art Department, he created the photography studio supporting Baptist publications. A display in Nashville shows his cover photos for the Baptist Home Life magazine from 1947-1960. In 1959 he was recognized as “Master Photographer” by the Professional Photographers of America at their ceremony in Los Angeles attended by Rock Hudson and other luminaries.
Bryce hired and trained staff for the studio. Studio staff recall Bryce as “the best boss ever,” “patient, never angry, who taught me everything I know about photography, thought of me as his protégé and was proud of my work.”
Bryce was commissioned in the US Army Reserve, Military Intelligence branch and served 30 years retiring as Lieutenant Colonel. Military education in Intelligence, logistics (Industrial College of the Armed Forces) and Command & General Staff followed. Bryce served in the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington. He was most proud of his contribution to planning for the Son Tay Raid in Vietnam in 1970 using his photo interpretation skills.
In Nashville, Bryce married Doris Brown in 1950. His family grew with son, Stephen and daughter, Valerie. In 1960 Bryce became a photographer for Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York, later transferring to graphic arts tech rep in Columbus, Ohio, and to Louisville, Kentucky in 1971 working with printing companies.
A lifelong member of Baptist churches, Bryce served as a deacon in First Baptist, Nashville, helped lead a renovation campaign in Lake Avenue Baptist in Rochester, and was a faithful member of the Hannah class of St. Matthews Baptist in Louisville, as well as serving in different capacities there.
In retirement, Bryce enjoyed travel, especially to Europe and Israel. He loved his 104th division reunions and retracing their WWII march across France, Holland, Belgium and Germany, including heartwarming receptions from liberated towns. Bryce served as President of the 104th division association (Timberwolves) keeping connections to many veterans and widows.
Bryce devoted himself to the care of his ailing wife for several years. He enjoyed his grandchildren. We recall a family reunion in Maine where he spent some hours assembling a thousand piece puzzle with granddaughter Steffi, who inherited his meticulous cast of mind and talent for spatial relations and math.
Bryce was preceded in death by his wife, Doris in 2011, his parents and 4 sisters. He is survived by son, Stephen (Kim) of Nashville,TN, daughter Valerie Moon (Alan) of Carrollton, TX, grandsons, Jonathan, Daniel (Alexandria), granddaughter Stephanie (Kevin) and two great grandchildren, Kennedy and Atticus, as well as many nieces and nephews.