Fred Finch
1943-10-16 2023-08-06He retired from Bassford Remele in 2017 and continued to contribute to the legal community. Over his distinguished career he served as President of the Hennepin County Bar Association, a member of the Assembly, Board of Governors and Executive Committee of the Minnesota State Bar Association and twice received the MSBA’s President’s Award for his exceptional contributions to that organization. He served as Minnesota State Delegate to the American Bar Association and then as a member of the Board of Governors of the ABA. He was a member of the Minnesota Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee which led to the July 2009 comprehensive revision of the Minnesota Rules of Judicial Conduct. And he continued to be involved with the committee on Lawyers Professional Responsibility until his last moments.
In 2015, Fred was recognized as Attorney of the Year with the lead line of “Shaking things up from law school to the ABA.” Always civic minded, early in his career he joined the board of Legal Advice Clinics, which at the time connected pro bono attorneys with clients. Fred co-chaired the MSBA’s Hurricane Katrina Task Force which provided more than $500,000 in legal assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina. And in early days he was guest moderator on legal issues for KSTP Radio’s “Ask the Lawyer.”
Fred had four sons from two marriages before meeting the love of his life, Martha Moos. They were married in 2007 until her passing in 2014. Fred was preceded in death by his parents Glenn and Luella, and loving wife Martha. He is survived by his partner, best friend and travel companion Pam Douglas Svihel, sons Fred (Carolyn), Elliot, Jason Parker (Jennifer), and Vin Parker (Teri), grandchildren Owen, Eleanor, Audrey, Gianna, Avery, Maxwell, and Everett, sisters Luanne O’Neill (Bill), Patricia Finch, Earlene Zinner (Mike), Cindy Atsatt, Mikki Atsatt (Mark Troppe), and his loyal dog, Scout.
Fred was a true Renaissance man of both intelligence and humor beloved by all those he encountered. Everyone enjoyed the sound of his laughter and his many idiosyncratic sayings. Fred loved the outdoors and took his four sons on canoe trips to the Boundary Waters each year. He could do anything, fix anything and was an excellent gardener and gourmet cook who was just as happy having a Chicago Hot Dog at Portillo’s. I’ll miss him greatly as a partner, best friend, and travel companion. I’m thankful for the many wonderful memories we created over the six years we had together.
tribute by Pam Douglas Svihel
Finch, Frederick Earl "Fred" age 79, beloved father, brother, and attorney, died on August 6, 2023 of pancreatic cancer. He was born on October 16, 1943, to Glenn and Luella Finch in Kentfield, California. He grew up in Hopkins, MN, attending Hopkins High School where he made lifelong friends. Fred attended the University of Minnesota graduating with a BA degree, and William Mitchell School of Law graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Juris Doctor degree (JD.) His legal practice began at the Fredrikson and Byron P.A. firm in 1973. In 1990 he joined the Bassford Remele PA firm where he was quickly recognized as a one stop encyclopedia for case law, citations, interpretations, and a general source of overall knowledge on all legal issues. Over the years he served as the president of the Hennepin County Bar Association, sat on many committees for the Minnesota State Bar Association, and was the MN state representative for the American Bar Association. Fred made civics a part of his daily life volunteering as a poll worker and election judge in every election cycle. Fred had four sons from two marriages before meeting the love of his life, Martha Moos. They were married in 2007 until her passing in 2014. Fred was preceded in death by his parents Glenn and Luella, and loving wife Martha. He is survived by his travel companion and partner Pam Svihel, sons Fred (Carolyn), Elliot, Jason Parker (Jennifer), and Vin Parker (Teri), grandchildren Owen, Eleanor, Audrey, Gianna, Avery, Maxwell, and Everett, sisters Luanne O'Neill (Bill), Patricia Finch, Earlene Zinner (Mike), Cindy Atsatt, Mikki Atsatt (Mark Troppe), and his loyal dog, Scout. The family requests memorials be made to the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis. A Celebration of Life will be held later in the fall.