Mom’s death

Mary Gail Finnegan, a longtime resident of Lodi, passed away on February 3, 2018, at the age of 98.  Then Mary Gail Sheppard was born on April 7, 1919, in Wellsville, Ohio. Her father, Louis, was 27, and her mother, Gail, was 25. She married Edward Joseph Finnegan on September 11, 1943, in East Liverpool, Ohio.  Edward served as a sergeant in Europe during WWII.  They had five children in 14 years.
The Finnegan family moved to Lodi in 1960.  In subsequent years Gail completed a B.A. in education at the University of the Pacific and began a decades long career teaching elementary school in Lodi. Even after retirement she devoted much of her time to volunteer tutoring of mathematics.  Gail was a founding member and active in Lodi’s Grace Presbyterian Church.
In retirement Gail enjoyed travel throughout the world including Asia, Africa and Europe.  Gail was very well read taking special interest in history. She was an avid bridge player.
Gail worked at being well informed on current issues.  Gail had a strong sense of right and wrong and the necessity of moral behavior. Throughout her life Gail conscientiously and intelligently performed her duties to family, work and community.
Gail is survived by her children, Anne Finnegan, Daniel Finnegan, Tim Finnegan and Kate Finnegan as well as her three grandchildren-Carolyn Finnegan, Erin Finnegan, and Edward Woehrle; and two great-grandchildren-Samual Finnegan Strauss and Camila Finnegan Strauss.
She was preceded in death by her parents,  Louis and Gail Sheppard, her husband Edward, her daughter Jil, and her siblings Richard, Lois, and Doris.
A service will be held on Saturday, March 3rd at 11:00am at O’Connor Woods, 3400 Wagner Heights, Stockton CA.