Mary Lou Finan

Mary Louise Finan, 90, Topeka, Kansas, passed away Friday, January 19, 2018. Mary Lou was born July 14, 1927, near Wheaton, Kansas, the daughter of James and Margaret Higgins Keating. She graduated from Blaine Rural High School in 1945, St. Francis School of Nursing in 1948 and was an RN in the U S. Cadet Nurse Corps. On September 2, 1950, Mary Lou married Thomas Finan in St. Columbkille’s Church in Blaine. He preceded her in death on April 6, 2004. Mary Lou was a school nurse for over 30 years at Holy Name School (Mater Dei School) and USD 501 schools. She was a member of Mater Dei Holy Name Church for more than 60 years. She volunteered in her parish, at the VA Hospital, St. Francis Hospital and the American Red Cross where she received the Jan Ogan Distinguished Nurse Award in 2000. Mary Lou is survived by her children, Kaye Brown (Tom) of Wichita, Linda Landon (Bill Maxwell) of Lecompton, Pat Finan (Janet) of Topeka, Sharon Gamblin (Morris Patrick) of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Carol Ann Tenpenny (Bill) of Topeka and Janet Lynn Unrein (Kevin) of Shawnee; 12 grandchildren, Tim, Mike and Scott Brown, Shawn Landon and Erin Landon O’Brien, Ryan and TJ Finan, Joe Herold and Christy Hayes, Samantha Tenpenny, Logan and Lindsey Unrein; 17 great-grandchildren, Lani, Jessica, Hannah, Dillon, Jamie, Bella, Josie, Ashlynn, Averie, Peighton, Stella, McKinley, Cecilia, Chloe, Sophia, Jackson and Katelyn; siblings, Henrietta “Hap” Scott, Topeka, Bobbie Jordan (Joe), Parkville, Missouri, Jimmy Keating (Kathy), Kansas City, Kansas; brother-in-law, Hank Graf, Topeka; sisters-in-law, Berna Lee Leibbrandt, Atwood and Dorothy Finan, Blaine; and an aunt, Elva Higgins, St. Marys. Mary Lou was also preceded in death by her siblings, Donald “Bud” Keating, Margie Fox, Katherine “Nila” Graf, Beatrice “Bea” Fealey, Georgia Kaye “Kellie” Ray and twin great-grandsons, Nathan and Caleb. The Daughters of Isabella will lead a rosary at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka KS 66614. Visitation will follow until 6 p.m. when the parish rosary will be prayed and then visitation will continue until 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at Mater Dei Holy Name Church, 1114 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka KS 66604. Burial will follow at 12:30 p.m. in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Blaine, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Midland Care Hospice, Mount Calvary Cemetery Fund, Blaine, Kansas, or to Mater Dei School, all sent in care of the funeral home.

Mary Lou Finan

July 14, 1927 - January 19, 2018