Hope B. (Farren) Finley, 95, of Mattapoisett died peacefully January 14, 2023 at home surrounded by her family.
Hope was born in New Bedford, daughter of the late James and Alice (Viera) Farren. After her father was seriously injured while working on a project in his home workshop, she and her sister Grace (Nisbet) had to quit school when she turned 16 to help support the family.
While volunteering at the USO in New Bedford, she met Henry Syswerda, a soldier from Michigan and they soon married. His life was cut short by a German sniper in 1945, and as a young widow she moved to Michigan to live with his family for a couple of years.
When she returned to New Bedford, she took a job as a clerk at Star Store, where she met John A Bradley of Mattapoisett. They married in 1949 and moved to Phoenix where the first of their four children was born. They returned to Mattapoisett where she would live for the rest of her life. John passed away in 1996.
Hope was well known by people throughout the region as the friendly hostess who greeted them at the Cathay Temple in Mattapoisett, where she worked for 47 years. She was a friend and mentor to countless customers and staff who loved her for her grace and warmth. Having lunch at Ying Dynasty was one of her favorite activities when family would come to visit, although she never failed to remark, “It’s not the same.”
In her 50’s Hope returned to school at Bristol Community College to finally earn a high school diploma where she found her passion for writing. Receiving a near-perfect score on her GED test was one of her proudest accomplishments.
In her 70’s she became close to the late Rev. Don Finley, retired minister of the Congregational Church and father in law to her son, David, after Don’s wife Alma passed away. While late in life for both of them, these next several years as a married couple were some of her happiest times. With Don’s encouragement she began writing poetry, some of which has recently been published in The Wanderer.
Survivors include her 4 children, David A. Bradley and his wife Marcia (Finley) of Mattapoisett, Kathryn L. Bradley of Siasconset, Nantucket, Paul D. Bradley and his wife Sarah Mitchell of Marion, and James S. Bradley and his wife Maeve (Kenny) of Beverly, along with eight grandchildren and twenty great-children. She is also survived by her three nieces, Linda Painter, Nancy Nisbet and Diane Barraclough of Pennsylvania, daughters of her late sister, Grace (Farren) Nisbet.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 18th from 1-3 PM at the Saunders Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett on what would have been her 96th birthday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you hold your loved ones tight, read more poetry, and order some Chinese food to celebrate her memory. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
