Robert J.B. FINNIGAN

May 10, 1930 - September 27, 2025

With deep love, we announce the passing of Robert James Bell "Bob" Finnigan, who died peacefully at his Departure Bay, Nanaimo, home of 67 years at the age of 95, with his wife, Elizabeth, and sons by his side.
Born in Wilkie, Sask., in 1930, Bob's early life was shaped by hardship, from homesteading in Christopher Lake during the Great Depression to re-settling in Victoria after a fire left the family penniless. As a youth, he attended Vic High, excelling in track and soccer, and proudly played on the team that won the B.C. high school soccer championship.
Bob married his high school sweetheart, Tillie, on August 8, 1952. After graduating from Vancouver Technical College and moving to Quesnel, Bob and Tillie returned to Vancouver Island and settled in Nanaimo, where Bob taught at Woodlands Junior Secondary for 33 years, sharing his skills and love for woodworking, metalwork, and more.
A devoted husband and father to Doug, Rod, and Terry, and a doting grandad to 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren, Bob was a gifted craftsman, an avid fisherman, and a lifelong outdoor enthusiast. He built a 16-foot trailer that took the family across North America in 1967, and was the primary designer of Wakesiah Gospel Chapel's building, drafting the plans at the family dining table. He also served for many years as an elder at Wakesiah and was actively involved with Camp Imadene.
After Tillie's passing in 1997, he later married Elizabeth, with whom he shared nearly 25 years of deep love and companionship. A retired nurse, Elizabeth was utterly devoted to our dad and grandad in his later years, overseeing his in-home care with tireless dedication. We cannot express how grateful we are for the gift of her tender love and unwavering support which went far beyond anything we could have hoped for.
Bob was rarely seen without a comb in his shirt pocket and a toothpick in his mouth, small trademarks of his quiet routine and attention to detail. Fittingly, he will be laid to rest with both.
He will always be remembered for his grace, steadfastness, creativity, and quiet faith.
A celebration of life will be held at Sands Funeral Home in Nanaimo on October 18 at 1:00 p.m. We also want to express our heartfelt thanks to the wonderful carers from Island Health Home & Palliative Care who supported Bob with such dignity and compassion in his final years. Because Bob always had a heart for those in need, we invite you to consider a donation to a Nanaimo food bank in his memory, in lieu of flowers.