James Alan "Jimmy" Finklea, 66, of Florence, passed away on Thursday, December 31, 2015 at the Bethea Baptist Home. He was born in Florence, SC, a son of Billie Robertson Finklea and the late Burton B. Finklea.

He was a very talented junior golfer winning the State Junior Golf Tournament, two years back to back, during his years at McClenaghan High School. Jimmy worked at Finklea PA and was the founder of the James A. Finklea CPA firm from 1973 until his retirement in 2012. He was associated with Golf Course Reconstruction, Inc. He was a board member and past President of the SC Golf Association and the Florence Country Club for numerous years. He was instrumental in founding and was a past President of the SC Junior Golf Foundation and the Monday after the Masters Charity Event. Jimmy competed and won many amateur golf tournaments all over the southeast along with some international competitions, including winning The International Four Ball, which takes place in Scotland. He was easily a scratch golfer, if not better, who won 11 Club Championships at the Florence Country Club including 9 of them in a row. Jimmy was a hard worker, who had a great sense of humor and loved playing cards. He had no greater love than for his family, especially his two sons.

Surviving are two sons, Joseph B Finklea and Thomas A (Emily) Finklea both of Florence; his mother, Billie Robertson Finklea of Florence; granddaughter, Jacqueline C Finklea of Florence; two sisters, Kitty (Robert Gootman) Finklea of Florence and Cindy (John) Federspiel of Edneyville, NC; two nieces, Tara Frost of Charleston, SC and Rachel Rogol of Northampton, Mass; and the mother of his children, Mary Louise S Finklea of Hartsville.

A Memorial service will be held at 4:00 PM on Saturday, January 9, 2016 in the Chapel of Cain-Calcutt-Stephens Funeral Home. The family will receive friends immediately following the services.

Memorials may be made to SC Junior Golf Foundation, P.O. Box 286, Irmo, SC 29063 or www.scjgf.org.