John Patrick Finnegan

It is with great sadness that we announce John Patrick Finnegan, 88, of Hurst, Texas, has died of pneumonia on February 7, 2024, after a brief hospital stay, surrounded by his immediate family.

John was born in Astoria, Queens, New York, on September 17, 1935, to John and Anne Finegan. He grew up in Glen Cove, NY, with his siblings Hugh, Cabrini, and Brian and an extended Irish family. He graduated from St. Dominic's High School in 1953, briefly worked for his father at his grocery store in Glen Cove, was a mailman in Seacliff, NY, and then proudly served in the US Air Force as a tactical aircraft mechanic during the Korean War.

John met his wife Christina at an Irish wake in New York. They were married in White Plains in 1961. He eventually began a 30-year career as a crew scheduler for American Airlines and settled with Christina, first in Glen Cove, NY, where they were blessed with two children, John and Theresa (Terry), and then moved to Oyster Bay.

John loved to swim the beaches of Long Island, take care of his many different cars that he owned over the years, including his '84 300Z, which he drove right up until the month before he died, travel with his family, listen to music, read books, and play golf, his ultimate passion. He played a memorable round of golf at Pebble Beach, with his wife Christina watching from the ONLY golf cart he ever agreed to use for 18 holes, because he had to follow "course rules."

He was transferred to the DFW area with American Airlines in 1983 and settled in Hurst, TX. Over the years, he eventually purchased three pairs of cowboy boots, played endless rounds of golf at the crack of dawn with local buddies, and enjoyed near-daily 3-mile walks. He retired in 1999 with a memorable retirement party at an Irish pub in Manhattan on a stormy, snowy night, attended by many courageous fellow employees and his family.

John will be remembered for his gift of gab, zest for life, handsome blue eyes, and never-ending youthful appearance and energy.

He will be greatly missed by his wife Christina Finnegan, son John Finnegan and daughter-in-law Renay of Arlington, daughter Theresa Gibbens and son-in-law Nicholas of San Rafael, CA, four grandchildren-Joseph Finnegan and his wife Becky, Connor, Fiona, and Declan Gibbens, his brother Brian Finegan and sister Cabrini Sander-and many family members and friends.

A memorial mass will be planned on Long Island, NY. For those who would like to attend, please reach out to jpfinnegan.memorial@gmail.com

In lieu of flowers, you may donate to a charity in John's name.