Warren J. Finnell of Mineola: Lawyer and sports fan

Warren J. Finnell woke up each morning with a singular goal in mind, to “make progress.” Whether it be learning something new by opening a book, taking an audio class or continuing to serve his law clients, the Mineola man never stopped working, learning or loving life.

“He was gifted with many talents, but he worked hard and always wanted to improve and do his best,” said his daughter, Lisa Donnell of Manhasset. “Some people who have those God-given abilities sit idly. He never did.”

Finnell, a father of five who spoke five languages and loved classical music, died April 22 at 89 of natural causes at Glengariff Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Glen Cove, his family said.

“He never stopped learning,” said his son, Steve Finnell of Garden City, who is the head coach of the boys lacrosse team and an assistant football coach at Garden City High School. “While many of us, including myself, would say ‘that’s the way it is,’ he wanted to discover the ‘why?’ and the ‘how?’ to a greater depth of understanding.”

A Harvard-educated lawyer, Finnell practiced probate law for more than 60 years, primarily focusing on wills and estate planning at Congdon, Flaherty and O’Callaghan in Uniondale. Although his hours had decreased in recent years, Finnell never retired and still would go into the office until shortly before his death, his family said.

“I think he felt an incredible amount of responsibility to continue to help the people that he had helped in the past,” Donnell said. “He had a wonderful relationship with his clients, so he wanted to be able to do the work that they needed to be done. He wanted to do the right thing for them.”

Born Dec. 28, 1930, in Manhattan, Finnell grew up in Bayside, Queens. He played football at Bayside High School and as a freshman at Harvard. He remained a diehard fan of the Crimson, traveling into Manhattan each week to watch games on tape delay at the Harvard Club of New York City before college football became more readily available on cable television.

After graduating from Harvard with a law degree in 1955, Finnell served in the Army for three years, working primarily in the intelligence sector with the Army Security Agency and National Security Agency.

Finnell had a lifelong interest in languages and was fluent in English, French, Spanish, Russian and Latin, his family said.

Finnell married Rose Marie (Rhea) Dornich in 1959 and moved to Manhasset. They were married for 34 years. The couple moved to Garden City in 1980 and Finnell lived there until 2000, when he moved to Mineola.

When Rose Marie died of cancer in 1994, Finnell spearheaded family fundraising efforts to support breast cancer research. The Finnells organized dinner dances at Lawrence Beach Club and North Hempstead Country Club for 11 years and raised more than $900,000 for the Cancer Research Institute and the Strang Cancer Prevention Institute in Manhattan, Steve Finnell said.

An avid sports fan, Finnell was a staple at football and lacrosse games at Garden City High School. He stayed active, playing tennis into his 80s at the Garden City Casino.

“He never realized he was getting older,” said Dominic Camera, 77, of Old Brookville, a longtime friend and client.

Finnell also is survived by sons Jeff, of Washington, D.C., and Brian, of Maryland; companion Nancy Wagner, of Stewart Manor, and 12 grandchildren. He is predeceased by his wife of 34 years, Rose Marie, and his son Paul. A small funeral was held April 29 at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Manhasset. He was buried at Cavalry Cemetery in Queens.