James Henry Finn III

Remembering James Henry Finn III fills you with thoughts of such memorable and colorful moments.  Working together on building projects as if kids playing with toys.  Laughing joyfully over a home cooked feast as if entertaining VIP guests.  Shouting “Nurse!!!” to restaurant servers when his beer mug ran dry.  Or happily rubbing his belly after a full meal and declaring with such sublime satisfaction, “That was a great way to kill a perfectly good appetite!”  He was a joyous man who loved to share the best with those he cared about.

I called him “Brother.”  Others called him “Dad”, “Sweetheart,” or “Grandpa.”  At times he might be called “You Crazy Irishman.”  But to most he was simply “Jim.”  Proud of his forebear's pioneering spirit, he was a man who insisted on forging his own path.  Following his own shining star honed with a sense of unwavering principles.  Graciousness, integrity, generosity, selflessness, and loyalty stood high among his virtues. 

Jim was born in Portland Oregon on March 08, 1947.  We lost him suddenly on January 13, 2025 at the age of 77.  He was a master electrician, an inventor, a business owner, a woodworker, a problem solver, a classic car enthusiast, a dog lover, a big dreamer, and a true and devoted man to his family and friends.  His life may have been messy at times with his three different marriages to Jetta Finn, Eileen Halvorsen, and Vicki Bello.  But then most beautiful lives are.  He loved his sons Jim IV, Wayne, Shawn, and Corey with such intense pride that it would at times bring a tear to his eye to hear them call him Dad.  As if the greatest honor of his life was simply to be their father. 

Jim brought something special to the lives he touched.  As his wife Jetta said, “I am so lucky to have had Jim in my life for nearly 30 years. We worked on projects together, traveled together, and enjoyed hosting family and friends together. I will miss him dearly.”  To his sisters Laurie and Glenda, and his brother Larry, he was a source of much love, stability, and a shared lifetime of sibling shenanigans.  As befitting his Irish temperament.

Jim’s love and dedication to his family was unwavering.  For Jody, Christina, Serena, Nicole, Tim, Chuck, two generations of grandchildren, his wife, and sons he had one driving wish.  That the legacy of his work would brighten all their lives for the better.

For me, what I miss most with the loss of my brother and best friend is his unwavering sense of belief.  If you lived in his world, he believed in you with such fullness that could only come from the deepest reaches of his heart.  That is a rare gift to be grateful for.  So, thank you Jim for your gift of believing.  Something precious that you gave so generously to all of us to whom you called Family."

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