Tana Smith Finley, 51, of Houston, Texas passed away peacefully on Monday, August 21st after an 18-month courageous battle with breast cancer.  She was surrounded by her family and friends in her last days and hours and brought us together with laughter and joy right up to her final breath.

Tana was born on January 27, 1966 to Wayne and Tina Smith in Rotan, Texas and grew up in West Texas, Louisiana and finally Houston.  She graduated in 1984 from Cypress Creek High School in northwest Houston and attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.

Tana married Tim Finley in January of 1991.  She and Tim were best friends and companions who couldn't go much more than an hour without calling and hearing one another's voice.   They completed each other's sentences, thoughts and emotions without missing a beat.

She enjoyed work outside of the home but when the kids arrived, Tana stayed home to focus on raising their sons and as Proverbs 31 tells us, '…her sons will rise up and call her blessed…'.  After finally kicking the last one out, Tana returned to work with Pharm-Olam International as a bid proposal analyst and absolutely loved her work, hoping to return to work after winning her battle with cancer, but it was not to be.

Tana and Tim were members of the Lord's body, assembling with the saints at the Decker Prairie church of Christ in Tomball.  Tana loved the Lord, the spiritual family there and the wonderful children whom she taught in Bible class and saw grow to be faithful Christians on their own.  Throughout her illness, the thoughtful cards, pictures and artwork from the kids at church always made her smile and earned a prominent spot on the fridge.

She was preceded in death by their daughter, Sarah Edris Finley, by her father-in-law, Olan Finley and by her uncle, Roger Greer.

She is survived by her husband, Tim, her sons Matthew and John; her mother and father, Tina and Wayne Smith, and Tim's mother Sue and her husband Noel Gallaher; her sisters, Gina and Angela; her nieces Brittany, Emily, Mary, Jenny, Laney, Olivia and Jolie and her nephews Cole, Paul and Will.  There are numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends from work and elsewhere who loved Tana dearly.

The family would like to extend its gratitude to the health care professionals at MD Anderson, Houston Methodist and Memorial Hermann for their dedicated care and effort to fight this battle with Tana.

Though the cancer took its toll on Tana's physical body, never did it dampen her joyous spirit and enjoyment of life.   We'll be together again soon, my love.