Thomas B. Finan, Jr., a man of his family and community, who for many years participated in the business and civic life of Allegany County, passed away on April 3, 2024. He was 81 years old.

Tom was born on June 5, 1942 to Isabel North Finan and Judge Thomas B. Finan. He grew up in Cumberland, but spent considerable time visiting his grandparents on Maryland's Eastern Shore, and his extended family in Southern Maryland. He and his wife Mary Kay eventually bought a home in St. Michaels, MD and he loved the combination of living in Allegany County and having a retreat on the Eastern Shore.

Numerous organizations in the state of Maryland sought Tom's leadership and guidance throughout his life. From 1988 to 1994, he was chairman of the board of Allegany College. He served as a member of the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland from 1995 to 2007. He served on the board of Mount St. Mary's University, his alma mater, from 1987 to 1994. For years, Tom served on the board of the Memorial Hospital and was its chairman in 1996 when Memorial and Sacred Heart Hospitals formed an affiliation to create the Western Maryland Health System. He co-chaired the 1994-1996 effort to create the new health system and worked closely with leaders of both hospitals to bring the merger to fruition.

Tom was on the board of the Liberty Trust Company and its successor banks that the American Trust Bank and Keystone Financial of Harrisburg when it was acquired by the M&T Bank. He was also a member of the Allegany County Library Board for many years.

A 1960 graduate of LaSalle High School and 1964 graduate of Mount St. Mary's University, Tom was a devoted learner. He later earned master's degrees at Frostburg State University (1973) and Johns Hopkins University (1979).

He served in the Peace Corps in Bolivia from 1967 to 1969. In 1972, he attended the Democratic National Convention as an elected delegate for Hubert Humphrey and in 1976 as a delegate for Jimmy Carter.

Tom was a newspaper man of original vintage, having spent 18 years at the Cumberland Times-News where he was vice president, business manager, and an owner of the newspaper. The newspaper was sold in 1986. He read a bevy of newspapers daily until the day he passed.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Mary Kay Kelly Finan, and their son, Patrick H. Finan and wife Erica of Charlottesville, VA; daughter Kelly Finan Richards and husband Jeffrey of Baltimore; granddaughters Acadia Finan and Emmylou Finan of Charlottesville; brother, Judge W. Timothy Finan and spouse Liz of Cumberland; and mother in law Elizabeth Woods. He is loved and cherished by his brothers and sisters in law, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Those who had the chance to meet Tom were met with warmth, empathy, curiosity, generosity, and pure, unadulterated kindness. Those who were close to him found a fountain of unconditional love.

Friends will be received at Scarpelli Funeral Home, P.A. 108 Virginia Ave, Cumberland, on Friday, April 12, 2024 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 201 N. Centre Street, Cumberland.

Inurnment will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Cumberland.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to an Allegany County-based charity of your choice.