Finley's great grandfather was Asa Finley, the first elected judge of Arrow Rock in Saline County, and his uncle was William Asa Finley, the first president of Oregon State University (then named Corvallis College).
Finleyho pradědeček byl Asa Finley, první zvolený soudce Arrow Rock, Missouri v Saline County a jeho strýc William Asa Finley byl prvním prezidentem univerzity Oregon State University (později Corvallis College).