AUGUSTA/STUART, Fla. – John Vianney Finnegan, 69, of Togus Pond, Augusta died unexpectedly on March 11, 2021 at his winter residence in Stuart, Fla. John was the son of Francis T. Finnegan Sr. and Catherine Virginia Brady Finnegan of Augusta. John was born Nov. 26, 1951 in Buffalo, N.Y. and moved to Augusta during childhood. He graduated from Cony High School in 1969. John was a graduate of both University of Maine at Augusta and Orono with degrees in criminal justice and English. He was a partner and President of Macomber Farr & Whitten Insurance Agency from 1975 until his retirement in 2016.John was a past President of the Maine State Insurance Agents Association, Maine Insurance Council, and served on the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) Board of Visitors. He held a deep love for his hometown community, in the most human sense of the word. He served on the Augusta Board of Trade, Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce and several Augusta Municipal Boards. He was awarded Augusta Business Person of the Year in 2012 for his contributions to the Augusta community and was honored by several other civic honors during his career. In retirement, he continued to teach Insurance and Financial Services at UMA. He also spent the last several years enjoying life at his beloved spot on Togus Pond and writing a book based on his father’s life. Truly a renaissance man, John’s love for music was lifelong as a self-taught pianist, keyboardist and vocalist. He has performed in many musical groups, including the Cahoots classic rock band into his 60s which held a 17 year gig on the Harbor Princess in Boothbay, sailing the Maine seas jamming alongside his twin brother Mike. He played his last concert on the piano at the Miles Grant Country Club on Sunday, March 7. He was a devout Catholic and devoted member of St. Mary’s, St. Andrew’s and now St. Michael’s parishes in Augusta, and spent time in his 30s as the church organist and Choir Director. John, a storyteller extraordinaire, will be remembered and cherished for his infinite kindness, generosity and optimism toward all het met. His namesake, St. John Vianney, believed that God’s grace can be found anywhere, and John certainly was a complete embodiment of this philosophy.He is survived by his wife, Nancy Gervais Finnegan of 42 years; daughter Shannon, her husband Benjamin Baumann and their children Anna Grace and Berenger of Sudbury, Mass.; identical twin brother Michael and his wife June of Stuart, Fla, and four additional siblings, Andrew and his wife Susan of Freeport, Kate and her husband Will Beck of Brookline, N.H., Mary and her husband Russell Stokes of Wakefield, R.I., Margaret and her husband Mario Briccetti, also of Wakefield, R.I.; daughter Amy Catherine Little and her sons Jacob, Benjamin and Isaac of Easton, Md.; and mother-in-law Muriel Gervais of Augusta. John’s kindness and dedication to family will be greatly missed by his many cousins, nieces and nephews, in-laws, and numerous lifelong family friends. John was predeceased by his parents; and his brother Francis T. Finnegan Jr.A private service in celebration of John’s life will be held March 26 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Augusta. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, capacity in the church is limited and the mass will be livestreamed via https://stmichaelmaine.org/live-stream-st-mary-church. Condolences to the family may be expressed via legacy.com.In lieu of flowers,donations may be made to the Francis T. and Catherine B. Finnegan Scholarship Fund at the University of Maine or St. Michael’s Parish, Augusta

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