Deceased February 7, 2022
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In Memory
Our dear friend and classmate Paul Finn died Feb. 7 in Melrose, Mass., of a pulmonary embolism. Paul was football captain at Malden High and played football and rugby at Amherst. He returned to Malden High to teach and, at 25, became the youngest head football coach in eastern Massachusetts. His Malden teams won several titles. Paul was inducted into the Massachusetts Football Coaches Hall of Fame. The Boston Globe noted, “Malden has lost a beloved coach.”
Paul retired in 2005 and joined Dickinson Development. He treated people in a wonderful way. His success in life was measured not by his bank account but by the lives he influenced. This humble guy was immensely proud of the young people he coached, helped to graduate and led to meaningful lives, but his greatest successes were his marriage with Marian, his three children and his six grandchildren. Simply the best grandfather ever.
Paul’s son, Chris, eulogized his father: “He was the best public speaker I’ve ever heard … and could better command a room than any CEO I’ve met.” While a newcomer with Dickinson Development, I asked Paul to keynote a major company event. He held the crowd in the palm of his very large hand with his wit and wisdom: “They clap louder when you sit down than when you stand up!”
His funeral drew a packed house. All were touched by Paul Finn. Our eloquent classmate, Father Jurgen Liias ’69, officiated at the mass. Paul, a devout Catholic, and Jurgen had developed a strong bond, forged upon their Catholic beliefs, good humor and love of golf. We played late last fall in Lynnfield, Mass.—Paul, Jurgen and I, joined by Bob Santonelli ’64. So much fun. Hard to believe it was our last round.
—Mark Dickinson ’69