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James W. Finney San Antonio, TX QCWA # 22454 |
Dr. James William Finney passed away Dec. 25, 2015, at age 97 in San Antonio, Texas. He was born May 13, 1918, in Axtell, Texas, the son of Kathleen Casey and Robert Addison Finney.
Growing up in north and central Texas, he knew from age 4 that he wanted to be a doctor. He graduated from Coleman High School in Coleman, Texas, where he often rode his horse, Buster, to school. He attended the University of Texas, received his bachelor of science degree from St Louis University and achieved his dream when he graduated from St Louis University Medical School in 1943.
Dr. Finney was a US Army physician during World War II and administered a hospital in postwar Germany. He practiced medicine in several towns in Texas, but mainly in San Antonio, where he was a member of the Bexar County Medical Society. He retired at age 71, in 1989, and was then a member of a group of retired physicians who jokingly called themselves the "medical dinosaurs."
He wed Edith Louise "Peggy" Karr in 1943 in St Louis and they were married for 61 years, until Peggy's death in 2004. He often said that the best thing he ever did was to "marry Peggy."
They are survived by their seven adult children: Mary Ellen Peipert of Fort Worth; Kay Finney of Albany, California; Jean Henderson of Beaumont; and Bob Finney, Jim Finney, John Finney and Ann Mueller, all of San Antonio, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dr. Finney had many hobbies, including ham radio and photography, but his favorite was sailing.
He was a founding member of the Lake Canyon Yacht Club in the mid-1960s and he spent many happy hours sailing his Flying Scot and other boats there.
He was a devout Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus. After retirement, he was active in the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Dr. Finney was known as a kind and gentle man of great integrity who was dearly beloved and respected by his family, friends, patients and everyone who met him.
May he rest in peace.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at 11:00 am at St Pius X Catholic Church, 3907 Harry Wurzbach.