Marina Sammons Finch ’79


Marina Sammons Finch ’79 , who lived on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, passed away March 5, 10 days after her 55th birthday. Marina was born and raised in Hanover, the daughter of drama professor John Finch. At Dartmouth Marina majored in American maritime studies, played field hockey and women’s lacrosse during her freshman year and intramural sports throughout her time on campus. After college Marina lived in Nantucket and Vail, Colorado, where she became a competitive downhill racer and expert mogul skier. Marina next joined the Peace Corps, spending two years on the central tropical Pacific Ocean island of Kiribati, teaching and working in public health. The island’s close ties to New Zealand prompted Marina to move to Christchurch, where she lived and taught for approximately 10 years. For the last 20 years Marina lived on Nantucket, where she operated her own scalloping boat and also worked at the Sconset Bookstore/General Store. She also served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. Marina is remembered by her friends and classmates as “a bright and upbeat person,” “warm, welcoming, vibrant and witty, and enjoying life to the fullest,” “one of those people who have such strong, outsized personalities that, once you know them, you can never forget them.” She is deeply missed. Marina is survived by her mother, Madeline, sister Diana and brother John.