Owen D. Finsted

Our loving Dad Owen went to be with our Lord and join his wife Daisy on Thursday, June 24th. Owen was surrounded by family after a brief illness at the home of his daughter in Johns Creek, GA.  He was a lover of life and is predeceased by his wife Daisy Mikkelsen Finsted, his mother and father, Anna Margrethe and Rudolph Finsted, brother Alan Finsted and daughter Carol (Bruce) Ramsland.  He is survived by daughters Diane (Andy) DiNoia, Audrey (Arthur) Mackiewicz, Susan (Paul) Robinson, Lisa (Lou) Quievryn, Janet Cooke and son Carl Finsted.

He is also survived by his loving grandchildren Brandy Flood, Danica (Daniel) Banes, Jack DiNoia, Jason Ramsland, Erica (John)Woodward, Stephen Ramsland, Keith (Mattie) Mackiewicz, Elissa (Brian) Pullen, Matt (Meghan) Robinson, Kevin Robinson, Sean Robinson, Alicia Finsted, Sharon Diltz and Danielle Mowat.  He leaves behind his great-grandchildren Aubri Woodward, Rebecca Woodward, Olivia Woodward, John Woodward, Aiden Ramsland, Brianna Cooke, Gabriella Banes, Norah Banes, Rose Banes, Sloane Mackiewicz, Kennedy Mackiewicz, Calhoun Robinson, and Malakai Reese.  He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law Alice and Ben Regensburg sister-in-law Linda Finsted and nephews Steven and Timothy Finsted and their extended families.

Owen was born in Lillerod Denmark and spent his first two years living in Denmark before immigrating to New York City.  In New York at sixteen, he started “the Sons and Daughters of Denmark” club.  It was in this club that he met the love of his life Daisy.  He spent three years serving in the Army in Europe post World War II in the German Occupation.  He was a radio technician and also found he could use that skill to repair church organs which led him to travel around Europe, visiting and repairing.  While in the Army he earned the Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal.  All the while, exchanging mostly daily letters with Daisy.

After the Army, he married Daisy on April 8th, 1950.  He attended NYU and became an Equipment Engineer with AT&T where he helped develop the transoceanic cable.

Daisy was his life - Owen always beamed when he spoke about Daisy and they enjoyed many of the same activities and traditions.  Together, they instilled Danish tradition on all the family hosting large Christmas dinners for many years in New York.  We learned how to enjoy many different beers, cocktails and especially Gloog (hot wine) during the holidays, danced around the tree and experienced the love and joy of being part of a large family.  Owen and Daisy celebrated their 71st anniversary this year and they showed us what it means to be married and become one person.  They complemented each other’s strengths to the end.

Owen (along with his Daisy) made friends with everyone they met and enjoyed close friendships with neighbors in the family home in Brewster, NY.  Owen was able to retire at 55 and moved with Daisy to the island of Oahu in Hawaii.  They spent their first year living in Waikiki and spent the next 15 years living in the Makaha and Waianae area. Owen enjoyed bike rides, tennis and the Hawaiian lifestyle with his Daisy.

In 1999, Owen made plans to build a home in Leesburg, Florida at the new adult community the Royal Highlands. This allowed them to be close to their growing set of grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Owen loved to drive and was happy to drive the car to the grocery store as much as he enjoyed driving Miss Daisy and his 2grandsons across the country to California and back.

They loved living in Florida and being close to Audrey, Arthur, Keith, Alice and Ben.  And they were just a 6-hour drive to Johns Creek, Georgia where some of their other loving grandchildren were growing up.  They ultimately moved to Georgia in September of 2020 after Owen suffered a mini-stroke and were cared for and surrounded by the loving Robinson family until his passing.

Viewing will take place on Monday, 6/28 at 6PM at Ingram Funeral Home, Cumming GA.  A Funeral Mass will be on Tuesday, 6/29 at 10:30 AM at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Johns Creek, GA.  The Funeral Mass can be viewed on YouTube .  He will be laid to rest along with his beloved Daisy at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GAi