John Finn

John Joseph Finn, age 85, of Aberdeen, passed away on May 29, 2025 at Monroe Regional Hospital after a long illness. Born on May 20, 1940 in Red Bank, NJ, he was the son of Leo and Lily Elizabeth Finn. The family moved to Atlanta in the early 1950’s where John graduated from Marist High School in 1957. He attended Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1963, he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves where he served his country as an aviation mechanic for 6 years. John was a faithful and active member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Aberdeen.

John married the former Jo Ann Phillips on January 30, 1966. He worked as a sales representative for Reynolds Aluminum for many years in Atlanta and Montgomery before moving to Aberdeen in 1974 when he opened Finn’s Firestone Service Center. In 1980, the family relocated to Waynesboro, MS where John began working in restaurant management, which eventually led him back to Aberdeen in 1986 as General Manager of the Best Western Aberdeen Inn. In 1998, John and Jo Ann opened Finn’s Outdoor Products and Equipment and later built and rented mini-storages, as well as becoming a U-Haul dealer. They sold their business and officially retired in 2022.

During the many years John worked in Aberdeen, he was involved in civic affairs and volunteer work. He was president of the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce tourism committee and was on the Chamber’s board of directors. He was on the board of the Mississippi State Tourism Committee. John was on the board of directors of the Mississippi Hotel and Motel Association where he was elected Vice-President in 1991-92, and was named Manager of the Year in 1991. He received recognition in appreciation for his support of the Monroe County Law Enforcement Association. John was a longtime member of Aberdeen Golf and Country Club where he served as Tournament Committee Chairman for many years. He served on Aberdeen’s Election Board and assisted in numerous local elections, and was a member of the Rotary and Lions’ Clubs, and the American Legion. John was a volunteer with the Coast Guard Auxiliary and spent countless hours helping boaters on the waterway. He frequently organized efforts to rescue people on the water who needed assistance, no matter the time of day or night. John assisted boaters at the Blue Bluff River Festival each year and provided transportation to and from town for travelers who were docked at the Aberdeen Marina. He volunteered his time teaching classes in boating safety and navigation rules. He had a great love for the Tenn-Tom Waterway and its boaters. Though not born in Mississippi, John always called Aberdeen home and promoted the town to its visitors.

John is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jo Ann; 2 daughters, Rose Marie Suchanick (David) of Nashville, TN, Mary Elizabeth Koehn (Eric) of Amory; 1 brother, Leo Finn (Sandra) of Cullman, AL; 4 grandchildren, Katie Suchanick (fiance Austin Rappè), Brendan Koehn (Allie), Cameron Koehn (CamiBeth), and Landon Koehn, and several cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Mary Teresa Heaney, and her husband Robert Heaney.

Pallbearers will be David Suchanick, Eric Koehn, Brendan Koehn, Cameron Koehn, Landon Koehn, and Austin Rappè. Honorary pallbearers will be special friends Kenny Tisdale, Lee Cooper, Lee Cadden, Bob Seymour, Tom Seymer, Jeff Fair, Coy Flynn, Frank Bender, and Leroy Baggett.

Visitation will be on Sunday, June 1, 2025 at Tisdale-Lann Memorial Funeral Home from 5:00-7:00pm. A funeral mass will be held at St. Francis Catholic Church on Monday, June 2, 2025 at 10:00am, with burial to follow at Oddfellows Rest Cemetery.

The family would like to express special thanks to the doctors and nurses at Monroe Regional Hospital, Lifeline Companions Coco Randle and Jeanette Mays, and caregivers Willie Mae Daniel and Anna Duncan for their exceptional care and compassion over the last several months.