Meeting Larry Finnegan shortly after we moved to Harvard in the early ’90s helped inform us that Harvard was different and that it was special. Already the friendly expressions of passing strangers in the center of town revealed that life in Harvard would not be anonymous and impersonal.
Larry showed us that a town-meeting government of volunteers is also not anonymous or impersonal, but a direct result of citizens’ responsibility to participate. We learned from him that Harvard’s character and its future cannot rely on wishful thinking, but really are in the hands of its residents.
Larry also showed us what a family could be. Our two sons often shared classes and activities with Finnegan grandchildren. From preschool art shows through high school performances and athletic competitions, Larry and Marie showed up for every grandchild’s event. How was that possible? A family was mutual love, respect, and support.
Larry’s much appreciated commitment to conservation was more than a love for open space. It was an extension of an essential part of who he was. He was a man committed to giving voice and action to people, things, and ideas who could not or did not advocate for themselves. The rights of citizens, the principles of democracy, and the common good concerned him as much as the preservation of the natural world. They were all of a piece.
At heart, and truly from his heart, Larry was a caretaker. He will be greatly missed.
Bill and Sydney Blackwell
Willow Road
