Edward J. Finnigan, 90, a resident of North Philipsburg, died Sunday, March 2, 2014 at Windy Hill Village, a part of Presbyterian Senior Living, Philipsburg.
Born Jan. 1, 1924 at Chester Hill, he was a son of the late Edward M. and Erma May (Cowher) Finnigan. He worked heavy construction for Putman & Greene. Prior to construction he worked for Booth & Shontz (soda/bottling company) and was a truck driver. He owned his own trucking company until his retirement.
He was a charter member of Life~Stone Christian Church, Philipsburg. He was a life member and trustee of the Philipsburg B.P.O. Elks Lodge No. 1173 and the oldest member and life member of the Philipsburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Louis P. Jenkins Post No. 3450.
A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he served during World War II in the Philippine Islands with Squadron 9 aboard PT 159 as a Gunners Mate Second Class. For this he received the following awards: World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal and the Philippine Liberation Medal with two Battle Stars.
On July 31, 1943, at Woodland, he married Louise M. (Rowles) Finnigan. She died July 23, 1990.
He is survived by two sons, Scott J. Finnigan and his wife, Janet of North Philipsburg and Patrick E. Finnigan and his wife, Mary, of Manassas, Va.; and a brother, George Finnigan of Morrisdale.
He is also survived by six grandchildren, Kristopher Finnigan, Martin Finnigan and his wife, Aimee, Connor Finnigan, Shawna Wurster and her husband, Mark, Mary Colleen Wyckoff and her husband, Andrew and Patrick Finnigan Jr. and his wife, April; six great-grandchildren, Ruth, Gracie, Evan, Kennedy, Nicholas and Andrew; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by a son, Michael L. Finnigan; four sisters, Elsie Rose, Jeanne Peters, Margaret Hrenko and Barbara Sunderlin; and a special friend, Jueveta “Petey” Smeal.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the David K. Dahlgren Funeral Home, 228 N. Centre St., Philipsburg, with the Rev. Bob Hine officiating. Burial will follow at Bradford Cemetery, Woodland, where full military honors will be conducted by the Moshannon Valley Independent Honor Guard.
Taps will be played by his son, Scott, and grandson-in-law, Mark.
Friends will be received from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Wednesday and from 10 a.m. until the hour of services Thursday at the funeral home.
An Elks memorial service will be held at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Life~Stone Christian Church, P.O. Box 263, Philipsburg, PA 16866, or to Philipsburg B.P.O. Elks Lodge No.1173, P.O. Box 307, Philipsburg, PA 16866.
Online condolences to the family can be made at www.dahlgrenfuneralhome.com.
