IPSWICH: John Prentiss Finlay, 90, died Sunday, April 28, 2019 at the Kaplan Family Hospice in Danvers due to complications from a recent fall. He was surrounded with love by four generations of family.
John, affectionately known as “Jack” was born in Hamden, CT on June 3, 1928, the son of Stuart and Francis Finlay and younger brother of Bob Finlay.
Following in his older brother’s footsteps, Jack enlisted in the U.S. Army and joined the 25th division, 27th Infantry Regiment “Wolfhounds”, and was stationed in Shinodayama, Japan. After returning to the United States Jack married his one love, Barbara “Buzz” Moog of Northampton.
Jack graduated from Brown University with a degree in Economics in 1952 where he held the position of Social Chairman and President of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and honed his social and leadership skills. Post graduation, Jack joined the Mead Paper Corporation in New York City.
In 1957 their first child, Scott was born and two years later the family moved to Wayland. In 1964 they were blessed with the adoption of their daughter Judy. After moving back to New York City for another assignment with Mead, Jack made the decision to take a job with one of their customers, Rourke-Eno Corp., a paper distribution business and moved back to Wayland for the second time, this time to stay. In 1980 Jack took a job with D.F. Munroe as a Sales Manager. The company was later sold to Lindenmeyr Munroe where he was made Senior Vice President of their six New England locations.
Aside from work, the family owned a cottage on Popponesset Beach on Cape Cod where they spent 12 wonderful summers. When Jack had dug every last clam from the Popponesset flats, the house was sold and they turned their focus northward to Thornton, NH where they purchased a ski house, “Waterthorn”, and 60 acres of land bordering the Pemigewasset River. Jack and Buzz reinforced with their children their love for the outdoors where they spent time hiking, canoeing, cross country skiing and especially recreating on the slopes of Waterville Valley, a legacy that they passed down to their children, their grandchildren and now their great grandchildren.
Jack loved people and was a great judge of character. He had the innate ability to make you feel special, like you were the only one in the room. He had a wonderful voice and he shared this gift willingly whether singing Christmas carols to the neighbors, performing at Vokes Theater in Wayland, performing locally or around the world, including two performances at the Royal Albert Hall in London with the Sangerfest men’s choir. For Jack, the highlight of the day was cocktail hour, a time to socialize by a roaring fire with friends, neighbors and family with his border collie at his feet, where a bourbon with lots of ice and a splash of water was his beverage of choice. Jack and Buzz were happily married for 68 years. His warm embrace, gift of conversation and wonderful sense of humor will be missed by everyone who was fortunate to know him.
Jack is survived by his wife Barbara, his daughter Judy Finlay and her husband Rick Brito of Amesbury, his son Scott and daughter-in-law Martha Finlay of Ipswich, his grandchildren Heather Finlay and her partner Josh Zlotkin of NYC, and Alan Finlay and his wife Katie Finlay of San Francisco. He also has two great grandsons, Bodhi Zlotkin and Kade Finlay. And finally, his brother Bob Finlay and sister-in-law Georgine Finlay of Akron, OH who were also instrumental in depleting the clam supply on Cape Cod.
There will be a celebration of life for family and close friends on a date yet to be determined.
Donations in memory of Jack may be made to the Kaplan Family Hospice, 78 Liberty St, Danvers, MA 01923 or the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals/MSPCA.