Kathleen "Kay" Finnegan, nee Reynolds, age 90, passed away peacefully on August 9, 2025 with family by her side.  Kay was born in Chicago to Patrick Reynolds and Elizabeth Hickey Reynolds, who had emigrated from Ireland and settled on the South Side, and was their third of five children.  She graduated from all-girls Aquinas High School in Chicago and subsequently, from Sienna Heights College in Adrian, Michigan.  There, she earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, along with a teaching credential.  Kay went on to teach in Catholic Elementary Schools as an Adrian Dominican Nun for 18 years throughout the United States.  After leaving the convent, she continued teaching in parochial schools for over two decades.

In July of 1981, she married Jim Finnegan, also of Chicago, at St. Rita's Catholic Church.  They resided just across the street from St. Rita's for 13 years before moving south to Crestwood, Illinois, where she and Jim shared many more blissful years together in retirement before his passing in August 2020.

Professionally, Kay was most proud and fond of two things: her time in the classroom teaching young people, and in her later years working at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, where she assisted doctors, nurses, and patients.  Kay lived a long life of service.

Kay enjoyed walking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family – especially her many nieces and nephews.  Like Jim, her game was Rummy.  And not unlike the Irish, she knew how to make her hands suddenly "escape" of cards."  While many opponents begrudgingly found themselves holding more than a few cards after dueling her, she (like Jim) was always light-hearted and gracious in victory.  If asked when dealing what was wild, her reply with a wink and smile was: "Deuces and the dealer."

She is survived by her sister, Betty (Ray) Marchetti of Walnut Creek, California, close cousins, and three generations of loving nieces and nephews, including Maureen (Charlie) Pinter, Jack Heneghan, Jim (Sue) Heneghan, Kathy (John) Labuz, Eileen (Dennis) McNamara, Rita (the late Joe) Howard, John (Maureen) Casey, Marian (John) Rompon, Patricia (Michael) Ryan, Michael (Lauren) Casey, James (Anna) Reynolds, Brian (Melissa) Marchetti, Kevin (Alex) Marchetti, and their families.  Besides her husband Jim, Kay was preceded in death by her sister Mary (the late Jack) Casey, her brothers Patrick and Joseph, as well as her sister-in-law Catherine (Finnegan) Heneghan and nephew Patrick Heneghan.

A warm and heartfelt thank you to Kay's dear, life-long friend Peggy Brennan, her niece Beth Cooney, and Peggy's family who visited her often and with whom she and Jim shared many happy memories.

Visitation Thursday, August 14, 2025, 9 A.M. until time of Chapel Prayers 10:30 A.M. at the Becvar & Son Funeral Home, 5539 W. 127th Street, Crestwood, to Incarnation Catholic Church, 5757 W. 127th Street, Crestwood, for an 11 A.M. Mass.  Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Adrian Dominican Sisters (www.adriandominicans.org)

1257 E. Sienna Heights Drive

Adrian, Michigan 49221

Phone:  (517) 266-3480

Email: development@adriandominicans.org

For more information (708) 824-9000 or www.becvarfuneralhome.com