Robert “Bobby” Finger, 62, Dies

July 8, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 2007 Robert “Bobby” S. Finger, chairman and chief executive officer of Houston-based Finger Furniture, died Sunday after a battle with cancer. He was 62.

Finger was the retailer’s public face and took an active role in the company’s advertising campaign.

Born Feb. 24, 1945, in Houston, Finger attended Arizona State University where he played collegiate baseball. After college, he returned to Finger Furniture, and in 1990 he became the spokesperson for the retailer.

As one-time president of Finger’s Contract and Office Furniture division, Finger and his team won several awards including the Grand Prix award given by the Houston Advertising Club and an Abby award for outstanding audio/visual presentation in support of a sales promotion. In 1971, Finger won a Geyer’s award of merit for store promotions.

In addition to his business acumen, Finger took an involved in charitable works in the community. He was part of a team that started Season 2 Give with a Houston television station. The event works to make the holiday season brighter for underprivileged children in the Houston area.

Finger was a member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as a director, as well as a participant in the organization’s competitions. He participated in cutting horse competitions, and in 2001 won the Cutting Horse World Championship. Finger was recently inducted into the National Cutting Horse Association Members Hall of Fame.

Finger’s charitable contributions have benefited a variety of Houston area organizations, including museums, hospitals, and churches of all denominations, Goodwill Inds. and the United Fund, the Home for the Aged, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (he also served as chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon), local theaters and symphonies.

Preceded in death by his father, S.P. Finger, he is survived by his mother, Florence S. Finger; sister, Barbara O’Der; his son, Rodney S. Finger; his daughters, Annie and Sabrina Finger; daughter-in-law, Amy Finger; Granddaughter, Olivia Finger; and fiancée, Lisa Berger. Graveside Services will be held 3 p.m. today, Monday, July 9 at Beth Yeshurun Cemetery, 3600 Allen Parkway.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that contributions in Finger’s memory be made to Seven Acres Jewish Home for the Aged or to the charity of your choice.