Raymond N. Finelli, Jr., a Rhode Island Portrait Artist and Advertising Professional, joined his heavenly family recently, at 103 years old. He was born in Washington DC before moving to Providence, then Warwick, RI. He was the oldest and last surviving of 5 siblings born to Raymond N Finelli, Sr and Daisy (Johnson) Finelli. He was married to his wife Edith (Whitaker) Finelli for 56 years, and is survived by a daughter, a grandson, and many nieces and nephews.
Raymond was in World War II from 1940-1945, spending 5 years in the US army in North Africa and Europe as a company clerk and assistant to the medics, typing the chaplain’s letters to send home to families of those killed in the war. He started in Casablanca and Algiers, fought through Italy into France, and was in Alsace-Lorraine near the German border when the war ended.
He and his wife were parishioners of Grace Church since 1952. He taught 5th grade Sunday School for 15-20 years, then was Head Usher for the next 15 years. After that, he interviewed other parishioners for their “Parish Profile” in their monthly paper newsletter for another 10 years!
In 1962, he started Raymond Finelli Associates, a Providence based industrial advertising agency, which he ran until retiring in 2002 when he became a full-time portrait artist. He found his calling for art in the early 1960s when he studied at the Rhode Island School of Design with Edna W. Lawrence, noted artist, teacher, and founder of the RISD’s renowned Nature Lab. He says she was a major influence in the development of his portrait painting career. In 1963 he joined South County Art Association, became its program chairman, and later president.
He joined the Providence Art Club in 1970, sponsored by his high school friend and well-known artist, Maxwell Mays, and later served on the Club’s Board of Managers. He has received awards for his artwork at both South County Art Association and at Providence Art Club. He started teaching Portraiture at the Providence Art Club in 1972 and taught it there for 48 years until age 99! In 2006 he became a Life Member there when was awarded the Providence Art Club Medal, given to a few members for many years of dedication to the activities of the Club, and in 2024 was chosen to join the “President’s List”.
Visiting Hours will be Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 3:00PM to 5:00PM at THE URQUHART-MURPHY FUNERAL HOME, 800 Greenwich Avenue, Warwick. A memorial church service at Grace Church in Providence will be planned for early summer.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Providence Art Club, 11 Thomas Street, Providence, RI 02903 or Grace Church, 300 Westminster St, Providence, RI 02903 for the music department, “In memoriam for Raymond Finelli”.
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