Beaton, Finley J., age 88, of Antigonish passed away peacefully at St. Martha's Hospital on September 18, 2025, following a brief illness.

Raised in Blackstone, Inverness County, NS, he was the eldest son of Dan Angus and Catherine (MacLellan) Beaton. After completing high school he left to work in construction and mining in Ontario. For a fellow who always loved cars, a stint at the Chrysler assembly line in Detroit was fitting.

He returned to Cape Breton in 1962, married and raised a family. He worked in heavy industry and retired in 1997 after 27 years at Nova Scotia Power as a Stationary Engineer-Unit Operator. After retirement he relocated to Antigonish, where he happily resided until his death.

Finley was an avid reader of non-fiction , particularly science, history and astronomy. He enjoyed Scottish music and never danced  a square set he didn't enjoy. He deeply valued education and supported his children in the pursuit of their respective careers. More recently he had been following with great pride the educational pursuits of his grandchildren.

Finley is survived by his four children: Carole (Todd LeBlanc) of Halifax, Michele (David Timmons) of Dartmouth, Shaun of Zurich, Switzerland, and Laurie (Sean Brown) of Vancouver, BC. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Ainslie Timmons; Aerin, Ian and Sarah Brown; and Hailey Beaton. Finley is also survived by his siblings Angus (Marilyn) , Marie (Ron Martineau), Alexander, Marcella, Kevin (Mary), Margaret (Alex D. MacDougall), Marian (Rannie MacLellan), and Malcom (Marguerite); and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents, his brothers, Ambrose (Cathy) and Martin (the late Joan); his sister, Theresa; and his nephew, Darren Martineau. 

The family is grateful to Finley's long time physician, Dr. David Cudmore. Special thanks to all the health care providers at St. Martha's Hospital, especially the amazing team of the Palliative Care Unit.

Visitation will take place on Monday, September 22 from 4 pm to 8 pm in C.L. Curry Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, September 23 at 11:00 am at St. Ninian Cathedral, Antigonish, with Fr. Danny MacLennan presiding.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Antigonish Town and County Palliative Care Society or the Antigonish Community Food Bank.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of C.L. Curry Funeral Home, Antigonish. Online condolences at www.clcurry.com.