BOMBER MEMORIAL

FINIS "MARIE" DeSOTO ~ Class of 1968
October 16, 1950 - July 27, 2026



Finis Marie DeSoto, lovingly known throughout her life simply as Marie, passed away unexpectedly on July 27, 2026, at the age of 75. A longtime resident of Benton City, Washington, Marie leaves behind a lifetime of memories, laughter, friendship, service, and love that will continue through the many people fortunate enough to have known her.

Marie was born on October 16, 1950, in Portland, Oregon, and spent her childhood growing up in West Richland, Washington. She attended Spalding Elementary and Carmichael Middle School and was a proud graduate of Columbia High School (1968).

Marie lived life with a personality that was unmistakably her own. She could be quirky, funny, a little crazy at times, and wonderfully unpredictable—but beneath it all was an incredibly caring and generous woman with a genuine love for people. She had a way of making memories, forming friendships, and leaving an impression wherever she went. To know Marie was to know someone who was unapologetically herself, and those who loved her wouldn’t have wanted her any other way. She spent many years working as a power operator, including 25 years with B Plant. Her work was an important part of her life, but Marie’s impact extended far beyond her career. She believed in giving back and volunteered with the Salvation Army, offering her time and heart in service to others.

Marie also had the spirit of an adventurer. She loved traveling and exploring the world, especially aboard cruises, where she collected memories and made new friends wherever she went. She played the hand life gave her and continued to find reasons to laugh, explore, connect with people, and enjoy the life God had given her.

Family history held a special place in Marie’s heart. She loved researching genealogy, discovering the stories of those who came before her, and reconnecting with long-lost family members. She understood that family was more than names on a family tree—it was a connection between generations, stories, memories, and people who belonged to one another.

Marie was also an artist and collector at heart. She was especially known for the window paintings she created at her sister’s home on Thayer Drive and for her love of Raggedy Ann and Andy. Over the years, her collection grew along with the stories and memories attached to it.

Through life’s joys, difficulties, adventures, and unexpected turns, Marie continued forward with faith and a heart for others. There is comfort in knowing that while her passing came far sooner and more suddenly than those who loved her were prepared for, her earthly journey has ended in the presence of the Lord she followed. Marie is survived by her brothers, David DeSoto and Jack DeSoto ('65), as well as several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, cousins, extended family members, and the many beloved friends whose lives she touched throughout the years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jem DeSoto and Ura Oreita DeSoto; her siblings: Richard Louis DeSoto, Carole Jean Taylor ('62), James Benjamin DeSoto ('58), and Robert Louis DeSoto ('67); and other loved ones who went before her.

Marie filled many roles during her 75 years: daughter, sister, aunt, great-aunt, cousin, friend, coworker, volunteer, traveler, and artist. But perhaps her greatest legacy cannot be captured by any title. It lives in the people she loved, the friendships she nurtured, the laughter she created, the help she offered, and the countless memories she left behind.

Marie wasn’t perfect—and she never needed to be. She was wonderfully and completely Marie. She could make you laugh, surprise you, drive you a little crazy, and remind you not to take life too seriously. She loved people, she cared deeply, and she continued to live and enjoy her life with what she had and for as long as God allowed her to.

Her passing leaves an absence that will be deeply felt by her family and friends. Yet the love she gave, the stories she created, and the lives she touched remain.

Marie will forever be loved, forever be remembered, and forever be missed. May we remember her with laughter alongside our tears, gratitude alongside our grief, and with the comfort of knowing that for a woman who placed her faith in Christ, death is not the end— but a homecoming.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7

A graveside service celebrating Marie’s life will be held at Einan’s at Sunset Funeral Home located at 915 Bypass Hwy in Richland, WA, on August 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

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Bomber Memorial put together by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).