Very recently a good friend of mine made the statement that "everyone has a story." In other words, all of us — because of the life experiences we have lived as well as the challenges we have had to overcome — have lived fascinating lives. Yet too often those wonderful stories are never told and are lost when an individual dies.
How many times have you ever heard someone say, "I could write a book"? Yet the very person who makes that claim seldom does actually write a book. That phenomenon has always fascinated me and for that reason often I will read obituaries in the newspapers and magazines about ordinary people and the lives they have lead. Some of the obits are very routine, but others I read make me realize how many interesting people there are who never really get to tell their stories, and what a shame that is. I came across one very recently buried in the back of the local newspaper that I would like to share with you. It illustrates what I am talking about.
The obituary is about a war hero named Frank Kennedy Finneran and not too long ago he passed away in his late nineties. As I read the short chronicle of his life I was captivated by the incredible life this man must have lead. At the head of his obituary there is an actual portrait of the gentleman dressed in his dress blues and that alone intrigued me. Here is how his obituary read:
"Frank Kennedy "Bud" Finneran, 96, peacefully passed away at his home in Elmhurst, Il. on April 4, 2015. He was born December 6, 1918, in Oklahoma City, to Emmett Joseph and Margaret Cole Finneran. Frank graduated from Cornell University in 1941, where he enjoyed an illustrious athletic career playing football and baseball. He was inducted into the Cornell University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 with a trophy engraved "Iron Man Finneran" attesting to his football prowess. He was also a member of the famous "Fifth Down" Big Red team that, in 1940, voluntarily forfeited their win over Dartmouth when it was discovered Cornell had inadvertently been given an extra down during the game.
Following graduation from Cornell he had offers to play both professional football and baseball but chose instead to enlist in the United States Marine Corps and serve our country during World War II. As commanding Officer of Company C, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marines Division, Frank was awarded both the Bronze Star for "heroic achievement" at the Battle of Bougainville, Solomon Islands, and a Silver Star for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" during the Iwo Jima Campaign. He was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps in 1958 having achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Frank enjoyed a successful career in sales and marketing for various companies. He was an avid golfer throughout his life, at one time having a 6 handicap, and belonged to the River Forest Country Club in Elmhurst, for many years."
Mention is then documented of his three marriages and that he was a devoted father and friend and is survived by his longtime companion Barbara Neil and his six children.
Finally at the end of his obit is this: "Frank was a larger than life personality who enjoyed a good joke or the singing of an Irish tune. He will be missed by all who knew him."
So there it is, a man who served his nation honorably in some of the most ferocious and bloody battles in the Pacific where this nation lost thousands upon thousands of troops.
So why make a big issue of Frank Finneran's obituary and life? It's as simple as this. We are losing too many of those incredible people who fought in World War II and saved the world from tyranny. There are and were many individuals like Frank Finneran Kennedy who have lived incredible lives, yet too many never received nor will they ever get the recognition they deserve. What gives me great pleasure is to be able to pass on to you the memory of Frank Fenneran Kennedy. I am lucky to have had the pleasure of reading about him and being able to tell you about this Marine.
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