December 2, 1916-October 22, 2001

Finster is the creator of Paradise Gardens Park & Museum, a product of all his folk art and Chattooga County’s largest tourist attraction. He began this Paradise Gardens around 1961 before he had a vision to do sacred art. In 1976 he was rubbing paint on a bicycle with his fingers and saw the image of a face on the end of his finger. He had a vision. A voice told Howard to do sacred art. He replied that he could not do art because he was not a professional. The voice asked him repeatedly, “How do you know?” The Reverend Howard Finster has followed his vision and the image of the face on his finger has become known as his “Resting Souls” figures in his art. Hundreds of visitors come each week to wonder through the park and Howard is still there in heart and in spirit.