Patrick Finner

We are very saddened to announce the death of Patrick Charles Earl Finner on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at Thunder Bay Regional Hospital at the age of 85. Patrick was born in Almonte, Ontario on March 11, 1928 to Charles and Gertrude Finner (nee Bolton). The oldest of six children, Patrick's first job was working alongside his father delivering bread by horse and carriage. He went on to many other jobs in the area, often saying he had 28 jobs by the time he was 20, most of them at local textile mills. Wanting to "see the world", Patrick joined the army and was shipped overseas to Korea, where he served in the Military Police for the duration of the Korean War. Upon returning to Canada, Pat was employed by the CNR as a police officer, and then by the Ontario Provincial Police. The OPP posted Patrick in Atikokan where he met and fell in love with a pretty nurse who worked at Atikokan General Hospital, Olive Klepack. They married on April 21, 1956. A year later, a first daughter, Kelly, was born, and within months they moved to Fort William to be closer to Olive's family. Five and a half years after the first, a second daughter, Michelle, was born. Once in Fort William, Patrick sought a less dangerous occupation and was readily hired by Bell Canada where he worked as a broadband technician until his retirement in 1993. Pat developed a love of horses and dogs from an early age and dogs were really his true love. The story of almost any dog could bring him to tears and, especially in his later years, he voraciously read stories that had dogs and horses in them. Pat loved music, science, technology, space and history, and especially loved and was so very proud of his grandsons, Kieran and Aidan Kuivila. Patrick was predeceased by his parents, siblings Patsy, Bernard and John, father- and mother-in-law Peter and Anne Klepack and brother-in-law Larry Willis. Survived by his wife, Olive, daughters Kelly (Ian) and Michelle (Mark), grandsons Kieran and Aidan, siblings Francis and Wayne and in-laws Irene (Boris), Marion and Raymond. As per Patrick's wishes, cremation has taken place and a private family interment service will be held at a later date in Mountainview Cemetery. If friends desire, donations may be made to the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society or the Canadian Diabetes Association. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Westfort Chapel, 420 West Gore Street at James. Please sign the online condolences at everestofthunderbay.com "