William Finlayson funeral: Trailblazing Milwaukee doctor remembered

MILWAUKEE - Funeral services for Dr. William Finlayson, a trailblazing Milwaukee physician and community leader, were held Saturday.

What they're saying:

Family, friends and community leaders honored Dr. William Finlayson at Abundant Faith Church of Integrity. Finlayson, one of the first Black physicians to practice in Milwaukee hospitals, died on May 11. He was 101 years old.

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"There’s a sense of loss because he’s no longer with us in flesh, but there’s a great sense of pride to have known somebody with Dr. Finlayson’s greatness," said Ken Little a colleague and friend. "He's been a good role model, and I carry that forever.

"The impact he's had as a doctor and leader in the community," Milwaukee Common Council President José Pérez said. "He helped make Milwaukee sustainable for families."

The backstory:

Finlayson will be remembered for generations by the generations he delivered. The doctor delivered 10,000 babies over his 40-year medical career, a news release announcing his passing said.

Finlayson also served in the U.S. Army during World War II, was active in Milwaukee's early civil rights movement and helped establish the city's first Black bank. The North Milwaukee Bank became a lifeline for Black residents who had struggled to access credit.

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Milwaukee leaders renamed 5th Street in the city's Bronzeville District as Dr. William Finlayson Street in August 2023.

Edith Finlayson, William's wife of many years, passed away in 2001. The couple met in Tennessee while he was in medical school, and she was finishing her training as a nurse. She was later hired at the Veterans Administration, where she became the first Black nurse, and was the first Black regent in the University of Wisconsin System.

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