Daniel F. Finnane III

1934 - 2021

Daniel F. Finnane III
February 14, 1934 - December 28, 2020
Daniel Francis Finnane III died peacefully on December 28, 2020 with Carol, his loving wife of 45 years, by his side.

Dan was born in Evansville, Wisconsin on February 14, 1934. He was the second of four sons and his parents, Daniel F. Finnane II and Susan Finnane, raised them with love and Midwestern values in Evansville, WI. Dan was immensely proud of his family and spent a great deal of time with his brothers, cousins, aunts, and uncles both in Evansville and out at the family farm. Dan also worked for his parents at Finnanes' Foods, the town's local market.

Dan excelled in academics and athletics at Evansville High School and was the Rock Valley Conference basketball scoring champion. Following high school, Dan attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the first Finnane to attend the "big" state university. He graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in business administration and remained a huge Badger fan and a generous donor to the University throughout his lifetime. He was honored as the UW-Madison Distinguished Business Alumnus in 1995.

Dan met Antoinette (Toni) Powers at UW-Madison and they were married in 1958. He and Toni had three children, Kelly, Daniel IV, and David. Sadly, Toni, passed away in Edina in 1972. Dan was lucky to meet Caroline (Thill) Adams in 1974 and they were married on August 1, 1975. Carol and her children, Cedric and Ann, joined Dan and his three kids to form a newly blended family.

Dan's first job after college was at Baker Manufacturing in Evansville, WI where he served as the company's Vice President. Following his time at Baker, he excelled as an investment banker at Robert Baird & Company in Janesville, WI and as a stockbroker at Dain, Kalman & Quail in Edina, MN. In 1976, Dan's friend and eventual business partner, Jim Fitzgerald (Fitz), recruited Dan back to Wisconsin to be the President of First National Bank in Janesville. This was the beginning of a 20+ year business partnership. After a successful run at the bank, Dan facilitated its sale and took over as Executive Vice President of Total TV, Inc. Dan grew Total TV into a successful operator of cable TV throughout Wisconsin and ultimately sold the company in 1984. He then served on the Board of Directors of the Milwaukee Bucks and assisted in the sale of the team to Senator Herb Kohl. As a businessman, Dan was a strong leader, a brilliant visionary, and a skilled dealmaker. Fitz once commented that he was running out of businesses for Dan to sell.

In 1985, Dan and Carol moved to San Francisco where Dan and Fitz led a group that purchased the Golden State Warriors. Serving as President from 1986-1994, Dan orchestrated the revitalization of the team and the fan base in the SF Bay Area. The Warriors were sold in 1994 and Dan and Carol ultimately retired to their home at the Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells, California.

Dan was known as a kind, smart, hardworking, humble, and empathetic man who found great happiness when surrounded by his family, friends, and colleagues. His gentle spirit and incredible work ethic inspired everyone around him. He led quietly by example and was always rooting for the underdog. Dan served as a mentor to family and friends and touched countless lives with his thoughtfulness and generosity. As a hallmark of his character, Dan stayed in close contact with friends and colleagues from the various chapters of his life. There was nothing more important to him than attending the annual family reunion in Evansville every June and gathering with his children and grandchildren in Lake Tahoe each July. A man of deep faith, Dan was a devout Catholic and a loyal supporter of the church.

Dan was preceded in death by his first wife, Toni, his parents Dan II and Susan, his brother Jim, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is survived by his wife, Carol; their children Cedric (Cindy), Kelly, Dan IV (Annette), Ann, David (Mikey); 17 grandchildren: Matt, John, Casey (Mike), Ali (Kristian), Ben, David, Sam, Hailey, Katie, Carly, Delaney, Toni, Ryan, Dan V, Griffin, Devin, and Kennedy; and brothers Pat (Jeanette) and Mike.

A funeral and burial in Calvary Cemetery at Croak Settlement outside of Evansville, WI will be held at a later date. The family would like to thank his caregivers for the love and compassion they showed to Dan each and every day.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dan's name to: Little Wishes, PO BOX 2208, San Anselmo, CA 94979 http://www.littlewishes.org/

On Wisconsin!

Allen-Meredith Funeral Home
Evansville, Wisconsin 53536
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