Ann P. Finnegan

Finnegan, Ann Patricia known to all as Nancy, passed away peacefully on July 3rd, 2026, in Springfield, Ohio, at the age of 80. Nancy was born on March 5, 1946, in New York City, the only daughter of Irish immigrants Anne Barrett Mullen and Thady Francis Mullen, who had come to the United States from Ireland in 1921. She arrived later in her parents' lives — her mother was 42 and her father 48 — making her even more treasured. Her nickname, Nancy, was given to her by her eldest brother and stayed with her for life. She grew up in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan–“171st and Audubon” as she fondly called it–and attended Aquinas High School in the Bronx, an all-girls Catholic school. Nancy went on to work as a clerk in the FBI's New York City field office, where she met the love of her life, John Timothy Finnegan Sr. They married on December 29, 1968, and soon after, set off on an adventure together: John's career with the FBI took them first to Savannah, Georgia; then to Cincinnati, Ohio, where their daughter Ann (Nancy) was born; and then on to Springfield, Ohio, where their daughter Jeanne and son John Jr. were born. In 1980, the family moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia, but Nancy and John, though native New Yorkers, had fallen in love with Springfield, and in 1987 they returned to the town they would call home for the rest of their lives together. Nancy's professional passion was the law. Over the course of her career, she worked as a legal secretary at the federal and state levels, including many years at the Ohio Court of Appeals, as well as in private legal practice, all work she took great pride in. Outside of her career, Nancy found joy in reading, sewing, antiquing, and rock and roll music. She was a proud Roman Catholic whose faith anchored her throughout her life. She was known above all for her quick sense of humor, her love of laughter, and her extraordinary gift for building community. Nowhere was this more evident than in the Thanksgiving morning brunch she and John Sr. hosted for decades, a tradition that began with a handful of friends and grew into a gathering of over 100 people, filling their home for hours. Nancy began planning each year's brunch months in advance, with John Sr. serving as a taste tester. Thanksgiving brunch became a beloved cornerstone of the Springfield community. Nancy is survived by her daughter, Jeanne Marie Peabody, and her husband, Brian; and her son, John Timothy Finnegan Jr., and his wife, Siobhan. She was a cherished “Nanay” to her grandchildren, Sara Peabody, Samuel Peabody, and Addison Finnegan, who brought her immense joy. She is also survived by nine nieces and nephews, several of whom she remained especially close to throughout her life. She was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, John Sr., who passed in 2011; her parents, Anne and Thady Mullen; her daughter, Ann Patricia (Nancy) Finnegan, who passed in 1990 at the age of 20; and her three brothers Edward, James, and John Mullen, who were 22, 16, and 13 years older. Nancy spent the final two years of her life at Clark Memorial Home in Springfield; a place she affectionately called her “sorority house”. The family is deeply grateful to the staff there, as well as to the compassionate teams at Mercy Health–Springfield Regional Medical Center and Affinity Hospice, for the care and dignity they gave Nancy towards the end of her life. A Funeral Mass and Memorial Service will be held on Thursday July 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Teresa Catholic Church. Arrangements are entrusted to Conroy Funeral Home, a family that has walked alongside the Finnegans through both joy and heartbreak for many years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Nancy's memory to Clark Memorial Home 106 Kewbury Road Springfield, Ohio 45504.