Alexandra Kortschmaryk Finucane

Alexandra "Sandy" Kortschmaryk Finucane, devoted mother of three children and a prominent advocate for the rights of people with epilepsy, died on July 7, 2023 at her Washington, DC, home. The cause was advanced breast cancer.



Sandy was born on April 26, 1953, to World War II refugees from Europe who settled in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where Sandy grew up and attended Pennsbury High School.



Sandy's three siblings included an older brother, Andrew, with significant multiple disabilities, a younger sister, Viktoria "Viky", and a younger brother, Peter, who died in childhood. Her experience helping take care of Andrew from a young age helped inspire a lifelong interest in disability rights. She became his legal guardian after the death of her parents.



Sandy attended Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania, where she majored in philosophy. She attended law school at Catholic University in Washington, DC, where she was particularly pleased, as a strong supporter of women's rights, to find many strong women law students and future advocates. She met her husband, Matthew Finucane, then a Georgetown law student, when they found themselves working together as law students at the Public Defender Service office at St. Elizabeths psychiatric hospital. The two shared a keen interest in protecting the legal rights of individuals who had been involuntarily committed to the hospital. They married in 1978 and recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.



After law school Sandy began working at the Epilepsy Foundation, eventually becoming executive vice president. She began as the legal advocacy coordinator in the late 1970s. Over the next 35-plus years, Sandy engaged in federal and state government relations, public policy development and legal advocacy. She expanded the foundation's role in preventing discrimination on the basis of epilepsy through court cases and legislation, published papers on epilepsy, and oversaw the creation of the foundation's expanded legal defense fund. She also served at times as the foundation's legal counsel.



Sandy was integrally involved in the coordination of activities to secure passage of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which, among other things, re-established Congress' intent to protect people with disabilities who mitigated their condition through treatment, securing their right to coverage under the ADA if they are adversely treated because of a condition like epilepsy or diabetes. Shortly after passage of the bill, Sandy received the American Association of People with Disabilities' Justice for All award "in recognition of her extraordinary leadership in support of the economic and political empowerment of all people with disabilities."

Sandy was a devoted mother who created an environment of security and creativity for her three children to grow up in. From camping at the beach with young kids in South Carolina, to putting on DIY birthday parties, to the sewing of elaborate costumes for her children, Sandy had a way of making simple things feel glamorous. She also led her children by example through her groundedness and moral compass. The qualities that made Sandy an incredible mother also made her a much-beloved sister, sister-in-law, aunt and friend.



Sandy was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2018 around the time of her retirement. With the help of targeted medicines, she was able to engage in a wide range of rewarding activities in retirement, including spending time with friends and family, visiting national parks, making pottery, painting portraits, learning French, studying birds and trees, supporting progressive causes and above all engaging in extensive fiction and non-fiction reading.



In 2022 the medicines became less effective but Sandy was still able to enjoy a wonderful year helping to take care of her first granddaughter in Chicago.



Sandy is survived by her husband, Matthew Finucane; her children, Brendan Finucane (Aarti Venkat), Adrienne Finucane (Brian Klein) and Jamie Finucane (partner Maggie Menditto); her granddaughter, Mira Venkat-Finucane; her brother, Andrew Kortschmaryk; and her sister, Viktoria K. (Peter) Wood.



Services pending. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Planned Parenthood.