James V. Finnerty, Jr., age 91, of Gulfport, Florida, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2024. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, on March 8, 1933, he leaves behind his beloved wife of nearly 65 years, Beverly A. Finnerty, and a legacy filled with love and devotion to his family and country.James, affectionately known as Jim, is survived by his loving wife, Beverly; his children, James V. Finnerty III and his wife Patricia, Pamela Winter and her husband David, and Thomas Finnerty and his wife Julia (Jill). He was a proud grandfather to Nathan, Joseph, Julia, Cullen, Isabel, Carrie and her husband Jason, and Eric, and he cherished his role as a great-grandfather to Abigail.Jim's extended family includes his brother Donald Finnerty and his wife Kathleen, nephew John Finnerty and his wife Shareen, nephew Michael Finnerty, niece Teresa Mileti and her husband Emeric, nephew Timothy Finnerty, niece Donna Sacco and her husband Joe, and niece Diane Zober and her husband Gene, along with their children.A retired Air Force veteran, Jim's passion for aviation was profound. One of his cherished memories was fulfilling his dream of flying a P-51 Mustang, a wish his children made possible. He also had a distinguished 38-year career with Bell of Pennsylvania, where he was the manager of the engineering department.

Jim also had a passion for his 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster.  His passion for this car inspired an interest in cars for both of his sons.

After retirement Jim and his wife resided at Town Shores in the Nottingham Building for the last 22 years, where he enjoyed watching the boats and sea life from his sunroom. An avid outdoorsman, Jim loved scuba diving, golfing, fishing, and biking. He was also an accomplished photographer and a beloved photography teacher, known for developing his own photographs.A world traveler, Jim had a fondness for Germany, Ireland, and Italy.  He took every opportunity to travel on numerous cruises and trips with his friends and family. One of his favorite things in life was to take the dance floor with his favorite partner, his wife Beverly, and dance the Jitterbug.A devout Catholic, Jim was a long-standing member of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Gulfport. He lived his faith daily and as one friend called him "he was the #1 man of God".

If you would like to honor Jim’s memory, the family is asking that In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Please visit https://bit.ly/3WzDEcG to contribute ‘In memory of James V. Finnerty, Jr.’