Obituary of Emmett Lawrence Finn, Jr.
Emmett Lawrence Finn, 93, of Rome, New York, passed away on Tuesday, July 9, with his wife of nearly 70 years, Janet Finn (née Hills) holding his hand at his bedside. It was a peaceful moment — just as they wanted, and their bond of love remains eternal.
A fall during summer’s heat joined a list of ailments he stubbornly kept at bay for years now, yet he still waited patiently for family to arrive to his side and say goodbye. Emmett, E.L.F., “Daddy,” “Skip,” Pop-Pop, is loved and respected and will be dearly missed by so many. A devoted and involved family man, he was quick to coach in sports, tutor in math, build a home computer, enjoy a nightly Scrabble game, grill the burgers, and sing a la-la-la-la-lullaby to a cantankerous child.
Emmett, an active parent-volunteer for the Rome Swim Club and later the Rome Y Swim Team, is fondly remembered as clerk of course at the annual Griffiss Air Force Base summer swim meet. He could do one lap of butterfly without a breath.
Born October 28, 1930, in Philadelphia to Anna and Emmett L. Finn, he was the first of three sons. He graduated from St. Thomas More Catholic High School in 1948, where he played football, basketball and ran track.
He met and married his sweetheart, also a native of Philadelphia, through school and church activities, and enlisted in the United States Air Force to build the promise of a safe and beautiful future together — a promise kept. Emmett flew over 2,000 hours as a navigator aboard the B-36 “Peacemaker” strategic bomber.
Emmett earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University, and his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He graduated with honors, and was inducted into Eta Kappa Nu. He continued a long career in the defense industry after retiring a Major from the Air Force. The Finns settled in Rome, New York, after the adventurous military years that brought deployments in locations around the country and the world. His Department of Defense work included developing operating systems for Smart Bomb precision-guided munitions, the Over-the-Horizon Radar and the Seawolf class submarine.
The couple had 11 children, raised as musicians, scholars, and athletes, and raised to know their church. After caring for and educating their children, Emmett and Janet resumed travels, enjoying holidays as far-flung as Vela Luka, Croatia, or as accessible as Las Vegas, Nevada. A favorite, perennial destination was Honolulu, Hawaii, at the Hale Koa.
Emmett joins in God’s kingdom his first-born, Emmett Lawrence Finn III, his parents, and brother, Edward, sisters and brothers-in-law of the Tucker, Hills and Finn families, and granddaughter, Angela Gillman.
He is survived by his wife Janet; children, Barbara Finn, Ann-Marie (Michael) McNamara, Kathleen (Robert) Joyce, Patricia Finn (David Walker), JoAnne Finn (Kimberly Blair), Regina (Gary) Gillman, John (Joan née Boucher) Finn, Judith Finn, Janet Dragojevic, and Carol (William) Sanzone; grandchildren, Erin, Rebecca, Mathew, Paul, Jessica, Julia, Stephanie, Christopher, Craig, Michael, Gwendolyn, Annalyn, Patrick, Jeffrey, Sean, Kevin, Kara, Elizabeth, Kristin, Steven, Maggie, Ellen, Mirelle, Christopher, Alaina, Madeline, Andrew, Kyle, Shane, Ryan, Brigitte, Viola, Adam, Oliver, Katerina, Katelyn, Molly, William, and Sebastian; great-grandchildren, Cassidy, Juniper, Avery, Rowan, Keaton, Kaylee, Sage, River, Revi, Emmett, Carly, Jocelyn, Everly, Klara, Tessa, Selah, Trulie, Theo, Arthur, Callum, James, Evelyn, Benjamin, Ophelia, Ronan, Kieran, Naomi, Raleigh, Conor, Emily, Jack, Lucas, Greta, Rosie, Finn, and Maeve; brother, Eugene Finn; daughter-in-law, Terry Finn (née Glerum); and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 15, at 11 AM at St. Paul’s Church, 1807 Bedford Street, Rome. Burial will be in the New York State Veterans Cemetery-Finger Lakes at a later date.
Relatives and friends may call at Barry Funeral Home, 807 W Chestnut Street, on Sunday, July 14, from 2 to 5 PM.
Memorial contributions in Emmett’s name may be made to St. Paul’s Church and/or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.