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Subject: (Obit, Tues. July 4, 2006 Contra Costa Times) JOHN PAUL FINNEY
Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2006 12:12:49 EDT
John Paul Finney
Engineer/Outdoorsman
4/27/24-12-24-05
Resident of Rossmore
Lost hiker from July 23, 2005 found on Christmas Eve in Briones
Regional Park near Orinda, California. Born in Portland, Oregon, raised in Butte
County, California. As a teenager he served in the Civilian Conservation
Corps. John graduated from Gridley High School in 1941, where he played the
euphonium in the band, ran track, and was a member of the California Scholarship
Federation. During WWII, he served in the Army Corps of Engineers. After his
honorable discharge, John completed a degree in mechanical engineering from
Oregon State. He then joined PG&E in Marysville, where he worked as an
electrical project estimator. In 1952, John transferred to San Francisco, and
became involved in the design, development and operations of power plants. He
was an active member of the Oakland Ski Club, where he met Carol Anderson,
whom he married in 1956. In 1958, John transferred to Chicago, where he studied
nuclear engineering at Northwestern University and worked on Illinois' first
nuclear power plant in Dresden, a joint venture between Commonwealth Edison,
Bechtel and General Electric. John and his family relocated back to Walnut
Creek in 1960 and then Lafayette in 1962. His career continued with the
development of nuclear, geothermal, and fossil fuel power plants throughout
California. John and his family shared an intense passion for the mountains, and
enjoyed endless weekend ski excursions at Lake Tahoe as well as
camping/backpacking/flyfishing trips to the High Sierras. In 1969 his marriage ended in
divorce. In 1971 John was remarried to Cynthia Falk Hyde, a Lafayette widow
with four daughters. He is survived by his children, Sam Finney of
Lafayette, Sue Finney Colwell of Vienna, Virginia and Amanda Finey of Martinez. His
four stepdaughers who also morn his loss, Julia Campbell of Northfield, IL,
Kelly Fehr of Orinda, Laurie Briesach of San Francisco and Suki Hyde of
Rocklin. John had 14 grandchildren. Memorial services, will be held Saturday July
22, 3 p.m. at the new Veterans Memorial Building, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd,
Lafayette, California. Please RSVP to
(mailto:) . In liew of flowers, donations may be made to; Cal Trout, 870
Market Street, Suite 528, San Francisco, CA 94102, or Contra Costa County
Sheriff Search & Rescue, 50 Glacier Drive, Martinez, CA 94533 or East Bay
Regional Park Police, 1790 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley, CA 94546.
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