Joan M. Finnegan, of Hilltown Twp., PA, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2020, at her home.  She was 88.

She was the wife of John B. Finnegan.  The couple had celebrated their 65 ^th Wedding Anniversary on November 20, 2019.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, she was the daughter of the late John and Mary (Garrett) Manning.  She was a 1949 graduate of West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Girls.

Joan was the Administrative Assistant in the family business, Finnegan Associates, Perkasie, PA, from 1991 until retiring in 2012.  From 1977 until 1993, she was the Secretary to the Service Manager in the Service Department of Schulmerich Carillons, Sellersville, PA.  Previously, she worked as a legal secretary for the Schnader , Harrison, Segal and Lewis Law Firm, Philadelphia, PA, from 1950 to 1955.  Earlier, she was employed by Lippincott Publishing, Philadelphia, in the Children's Book Division from 1949 to 1950.

Joan was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church, Sellersville, PA, serving as the President of the St. Agnes School Mother's Guild during the mid-1960's.

An avid reader, she especially enjoyed writing poetry and gourmet cooking.

Joan Finnegan was a woman of exquisite complexity, one of soul and of spirit. While most look at those two words and see synonyms, Joan lived in their subtle differences.

There was her spirit: one of elegance and grace. A side of herself she displayed proudly, and without hubris. Beautiful, and poetic, Joan's elegance permeated throughout her life. A true artist, she took communication as her medium. From each stroke of her pen, and flutter in her voice, to every sly, knowing, wink and smile. Joan painted where others simply spoke. While the memory of those past conversations now echo, and written paper notes, with expert penmanship, now yellow, it is Joan's timeless spirit that continues on.

If Joan's spirit was an artist, then her soul was a fighter. Beneath her graceful exterior, was a side that only the closest in her life saw. The fighter. The warrior. The indomitable, unyielding, spirit of a woman who never gave up on life. She fought rheumatoid arthritis. She overpowered scarlet fever. She conquered breast cancer. Faced with a cycle of relentless adversity, she was simply more relentless in her response. She fought, she overpowered, she conquered. She lived. Joan was the cat with nine lives (who would be quick to point out how much she loathed cats). She fought until the very end. That is what fighters do. But it is finally time to rest.

Joan taught us that you can be so many things, to so many people, but you can also be many things to yourself too. You can have a beautiful, elegant, poetic spirit, with an indomitable, unyielding soul. Joan fought for what she loved, and loved so much.

She is survived by five children, Christopher Finnegan and his wife Jill, of Perkasie, PA, Kathleen Lazaunikas and her husband Thomas, of Perkasie, Keith Finnegan and his partner Patricia Courtney, of Sellersville, PA, Kerry Duckworth and her husband Mark, of Perkasie, and Sean Finnegan and his wife Sandra, of Perkasie; ten grandchildren, Andrew Lazaunikas, Olivia Lazaunikas, Geoffrey Finnegan, Emily Finnegan, Catherine Serino, Hannah Markle, Hailey Finnegan, Patrick Finnegan, Colin Finnegan and Aidan Finnegan; two great-grandchildren, Lyla Lazaunikas and Rogen Markle; and a sister, Mary Jane O'Neill and her husband Charles, of Atlanta, GA.  She was preceded in death by a son in infancy, Richard Finnegan, in 1955.

Her Funeral Mass will be held privately at the convenience of the family with private interment in Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, Springfield, PA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to PA Breast Cancer Coalition, 2397 Quentin Rd. Lebanon, PA 17042, or to the National Kidney Foundation, 1500 Walnut Street #301, Philadelphia, PA  19102.

Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie, PA.