Patrick Finn

Patrick Loyola Finn 1934 – 2023 Patrick Finn passed away peacefully on December 23, 2023 surrounded by his family. Patrick enjoyed watching sports especially the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Chargers before they moved to Los Angeles. He was born in Carbonear, Newfoundland, Canada. At the age of 17 he immigrated to the United States with the help of his Aunt Gertrude who sponsored him to obtain a Green Card. His mother Agatha had been corresponding with her sister Gertrude sharing the lack of job opportunities at the time in the Province of Newfoundland. Young Patrick was working on a coal boat shoveling coal. He would come home each night covered in coal dust.

Aunt Gertrude made the offer to sponsor Patrick and before he knew it he was on a plane flying to New York City. Patrick may have said, “What the hell have I gotten myself into?” as he looked out the window and saw a city of almost 8 million people having left a small town of 5,000 people in Carbonear. His Aunt spent the next two weeks introducing him to the Big Apple and encouraged him to see the sights after she returned back to work. Patrick was excited to start his new life in New York City and very appreciative of his Aunt for sponsoring him into the United States. She held a special place in his heart.

He worked a number of jobs in those early days. Working in the supply department of a hospital, working in the shipping department of a book publishing company, working on an assembly line of a manufacturer plant and installing roof top television antennas. When Patrick moved to the United States in 1952 the Korean War was going on. As a holder of a Green Card he was subject to the military draft. One day he received a draft notice from the U.S. Army. His Aunt Gertrude said Uncle Sam Wants You! As a nurse who had served in the Army she suggested he enlist in the Air Force or Navy. So that day Patrick enlisted in the U.S. Air Force with the goal of being an Air Traffic Controller. There was no time to go home and pack for bootcamp. The Air Force put him on a bus and off to boot camp he went. His career in the Air Force had him working in the Military Post Office and later as a Personnel Manager. He wasn’t able to obtain a security clearance that would allow him to be an Air Traffic Controller because he was a Canadian citizen at the time. Patrick served a one year tour in Vietnam in 1967.

Patrick’s Air Force duty assignments of choice were on the East Coast of the United States which made family visits to Newfoundland easier. One assignment was Goosebay, Labrador, Newfoundland at Goose A.F.B. where he met the love of his life Ellen McDonald. After a short courtship they married and their first child Patrick was born. His next assignment took the family to Bangor, Maine where they were stationed at Dow A.F.B. Their next child Barbara was born followed two years later by Caroline.

The family moved every three years living in Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and then onto Germany for four years. Patrick’s last assignment in the Air Force brought the family to Mount Laguna Air Force Site near San Diego, California. The family settled in San Diego in the community of Santee, California. Patrick’s wife Ellen would often say “We have everything we need here!”...Costco, Kohls, Home Depot, etc.

Although Patrick was born in Canada and loved the land he was born in he also had a love for the United States that was displayed each day as he flew the American flag on the huge flag pole that was located in front of his home. At the age of 38 he became a U.S. citizen along with his wife Ellen and son Patrick.

Patrick’s military career was followed by a second career in the Postal Service where he enjoyed working on the front window serving customers. He enjoyed seeing how fast he could keep the line of customers moving. He also worked in the Weigh Master section which handled Bulk Mail. Patrick enjoyed watching the San Diego Chargers. Many of his kids friends enjoyed watching Charger games at his house because of his enthusiasm for the game. In the heat of a Charger playoff win he booked tickets to watch the Chargers play in the Super Bowl in Miami. He called his wife Ellen who was working at Grossmont Hospital at the time and said, “Honey we are going to the Super Bowl.” That phone call to Ellen may have been the high point of his enthusiasm as the Chargers got clobbered by the San Francisco 49ers 49 to 26! Besides the love for his wife Ellen and his family close and far he also enjoyed listening to Traditional Irish music which was made more enjoyable by drinking a few cold beers! Patrick and his wife Ellen hosted a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner at the Santee VFW for a number of years. Spending a week of vacation time to organize, fund raise, prepare and host the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. It was always the biggest fundraiser of the year for the V.F.W.

Patrick would often tell his family that he was “running out of time”. At the age of 48 he had surgery to implant a pacemaker. With his wife Ellen’s encouragement and pushing him out the door sometimes he continued to work out and walk regularly and was able to live a long an active life.

Patrick was predeceased by his brothers Jim Finn, Jerry Finn and Kevin Finn and his sister Gertrude Coady. Patrick is survived by his wife Ellen, his sister Patricia Withers of St. John's, Newfoundland, his daughter Madonna Hoddinott (Paul Hoddinott deceased) of Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, son Patrick Finn (Jo-Anne Finn deceased) of Montreal, Canada, and daughters Barbara Finn-Buchanan (Robert Buchanan) of Lakeside and Caroline Rivera (Jessie Rivera) of Santa Paula and Thomas Finn deceased. He was Grampy to his grand children in California, Sheila Gigante (Billy Gigante), Stephanie Quesada (Sal Quesada) Thomas Buchanan (Emily Kloth-Buchanan), Eric Vigil (Monica Vigil) and Anthony Vigil. He was Poppy to his grand children in Newfoundland, Jonathon Hoddinott, Christina Hoddinott and Christopher Hoddinott. Grampy to his great grand children Olivia Gigante and Nico Gigante. And Diego Quesada deceased. Patrick is also survived by his many nieces and nephews in Canada.

A Funeral Mass will be held at the Guardian Angels Catholic Church at 9310 Dalehurst Rd in Santee, California at 10am on January 23, 2024. Patrick will be interred with full military honors on Tuesday January 23, 2024 at Miramar National Cemetery. It should be noted that official documents list Patrick’s birthday as January 23. The actual date was January 21. His delivery was at home and the attending doctor mistakenly wrote the date of birth as January 23. Patrick’s mother Agatha told the doctor the date was incorrect. The doctor said “Mrs. Finn that is the last birth certificate I have...what difference is a couple of days going to make?” Since January 21 wasn’t available as a burial day it seems fitting that Patrick will be buried on his "birthday" January 23!

While we will miss Patrick’s beautiful smile, his generous spirit and his presence, we take comfort knowing that he has gone to heaven to be reunited with his family and friends. We look forward to seeing his beautiful smile again!