William E. "Bill" Finnegan, 80, World War II Veteran
William E. “Bill” Finnegan, age 80, died Thursday October 28, 2004 in the intensive care unit of Community Health Partners Hospital and Surgical Center following a brief illness.
He was born February 8, 1924 in Benwood, West Virginia and had been a resident of Lorain County since 1957.
Mr. Finnegan was a graduate of Union High School in Benwood, West Virginia with the class of 1942. Following his graduation, he entered the military and served with the United States Army fulfilling a twenty-five month duty assignment in the Pacific Theater. Upon his return he joined the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company in Benwood where he served as a blacksmith. In 1957 he was transferred to the company’s Lorain rail yard. In 1960 he left the employ of the railroad and secured a position in the maintenance department of the former Saint Joseph Hospital in Lorain. He retired in 1988 following twenty-eight years of service with the health care provider.
He was a parishioner of Saint Mary of the Lake Catholic Church in Lorain whose hobbies included golf, boating, fishing, and roller skating at the former Lorain Roller Arena Additional interests included solving crossword and jigsaw puzzles.
An ardent fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bill was also an accomplished bowler who rolled two perfect 300 games within three weeks of each other at the Saxon Lanes in Lorain.
He was a member of the American Bowling Congress, a life member of Council # 637 of the Knights of Columbus, as well as a member of the Pulaski Post # 37 of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, American Legion Post # 30 of Lorain, the United Polish Club of Lorain, the Polish American Citizens Club of Lorain, and a social member of both the American Slovak Club and the Saxon Club.
Survivors include sons: Andrew W. “Andy” Finnegan of Lorain, and Kirk Finnegan of Pembroke Pines, Florida, daughters: Elizabeth Ann “Beth” Mihalic and Kathy Kurowski both of Lorain, eleven grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and a sister: Margaret Harrigan of Moundsville, West Virginia.
He was preceded in death by his wife: Anne Elizabeth “Libby” Finnegan (nee Wallace) in 1989, by his parents: Thomas K. and Alma (nee Cole) Finnegan, by brothers: Thomas and Robert, and by sisters: Rosemarie Rich, Mary Katherine Del Ray, and Gertrude Snyder.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, October 30, 2004 from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, October 31st from 2 to 4 p.m. only in the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway, Lorain. Funeral services will be Monday, at 9. in the funeral chapel and will be followed by the celebration of a funeral mass at 9:30 a.m. in Saint Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, 310 West 8th Street, Lorain. The Reverend Daniel O. Divis, pastor of the church will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Lorain where military honors will be conducted by officers and members of American Legion Post #30 and Mullen-Murray Post #451 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.