UNION — Joan Frances (Knights) Finnemore went home to be with her Lord and Savior on November 9, 2025. She passed peacefully after a long illness surrounded by the family she loved.

Born July 12, 1938, in Norridgewock, Joan was the youngest child of Fred and Susie H. Berry Knights. Joan's father died when she was two weeks old and she was raised by her mother during the final years of the Depression. During her early childhood, the family moved to Skowhegan, where she attended area schools and graduated in June 1956 from Skowhegan Area High School, where she was voted best dancer (she still did a great Charleston even later in life!). Joan was a hard worker and started her first job at the Bell Shop in Skowhegan when she was just 14 years old.

While in the 8th grade, Joan met the love of her life, Norman Finnemore. They were married June 29, 1956, at the home of her sister, Doris Corson, and recently celebrated their 69th anniversary. During her early married years, the family resided in Skowhegan, where their 3 children were born. While in the hospital following the birth of her son, Joan heard the Gospel message from a local Pastor’s wife and accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior.

In 1970, her husband was called to be a pastor and the family moved to Rockland, while he attended Glen Cove Bible College. Joan worked to support her family and husband during these school years, both at a Main Street shoe store and at Mammoth Mart.

In late 1970, her husband became the Pastor of the South Hope Community Church and the family moved to South Hope. While serving as Pastor's wife, she taught Sunday School, worked with Youth Groups, and later as secretary and typing teacher at the South Hope Christian School which opened in 1974. She also worked as secretary to the Headmaster at Glen Cove Christian Academy for several years in the mid-1970s. She was privileged to make a missions trip to Haiti during these years.

In 1985, Norman and Joan moved to Hartland, to serve at the Hartland Baptist Church. Joan was very active in organizing large ladies’ retreats and also began doing a number of speaking engagements. She served in the Hartland Christian School and was able to take a missions trip to Argentina and Uruguay.

In 2001, Norman and Joan were called to return to South Hope Community Church. In 2015, they formally retired, and Joan spent the remainder of her life enjoying her role as “Nana” to 8 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Throughout her life in ministry alongside Norman, and as a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Joan clung to and encouraged her family with the instruction from her favorite Bible verses in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Joan was pre-deceased by her parents and brothers and sisters-in-law, Charles and Ronnie Knights, David and Betty Knights; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Minerva and Gordon Halliday, Doris and Glen Corson and Lucy Knights.

She is survived by her husband, Norman Finnemore; her children Rebecca Martz (Charles), Cathi Finnemore, and N. Scott Finnemore (Jennifer); her grandchildren Charles Martz (Kiva), Clint Martz (Bonnie), Stefanie Martz Atwood (John), Jeraimie Finnemore (Sarah), Leah Clair (Dillon), Brendon Finnemore (Olivia), Darcy Michaud, and Simon Finnemore; her great-grandchildren Madison, Alex, Zac, Natalie, Colton, Remi, Miles, Everett, Noah, Oliver, Deacon, Afton, Shepherd, Frances, Beckett, and Rowan.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11 a.m., at South Hope Community Church. She will be laid to rest privately at East Union Cemetery.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter, and Hutchins Funeral Home, Rockland. To share a memory or condolence with the Finnemore family, please visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.