David Finley, Lighting Designer, is Dead at 53

The lighting designer David Paul Finley, of New York City and Margaretville, New York, passed away on September 22 in Chicago, Illinois. He was 53. He had a long career as lighting designer with Martha Graham Dance Company (1986-1992), Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre, Stars on Ice, and 15 years with Disson Skating. He received a Daytime Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Lighting Direction (2001-2002)" for his work on the Brian Boitano Skating Spectacular.

Finley began his company, David Finley Associates, with his business partner in the 1990s, where they specialized in lighting and set design and production in the area of television, theatrical, and live commercial events.

Finley is predeceased by his father Alan W. Finley. He is survived by his loving partner, Gary Young; his mother, Kathryn Scott Finley; his sister, M. Alicia Finley; his sister, Kitt Finley-Parker, her husband Tim, and their children Kate and Riley; his brothers, Alan Finley; Scott Finley, and his partner John Schulman; and Mark Finley, and his partner Jeff Edelstein; his long-time business partner Todd Randall; and a large extended family. He graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School in 1977 and SUNY School of Performing Arts, Purchase, New York in 1984, where he majored in lighting design and graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts.

He worked with Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) Dining by Design for the past five years.

Funeral services are being handled by Miller's Funeral Home, Margaretville, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations in Finley's memory can be made to the Heart of the Catskills Humane Society PO Box 88, Delhi, NY 13753 or on the web (see URL).

Finley's last lighting design production, Fashion on Ice, will be aired on November 13 on NBC.

His light still shines in each and everyone he has touched.