William Francis Finn
October 22, 1940 - March 30, 2026
William "Bill" Francis Finn, 85, of Chapel Hill, NC, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.
Born on October 22, 1940, in Framingham, Massachusetts, Bill was preceded in death by his first wife and is survived by his devoted wife, children, grandchildren, extended family, and many close friends.
Bill devoted his life to advancing kidney care, mentoring future health care professionals, and serving patients with compassion, humility, and integrity.
Bill earned his undergraduate degree from Le Moyne College (1958–1962) and his medical degree from SUNY College of Medicine in Syracuse (1962–1966). He completed his residency in internal medicine at Ohio State University Hospital (1967–1969) and continued nephrology training at Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1967–1974).
From 1970 to 1972, Bill served his country as a Major in the United States Air Force Medical Corps at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. During that time, he also served as a medical advisor to Skylab, the first United States space station.
In 1974, Bill joined the faculty at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor. He later served as Associate Professor and Professor, helping build UNC's Division of Nephrology into a nationally respected program. He also served as Medical Director of the Renal Transplant Program from 1974 to 2012 and played a major role in advancing kidney transplantation across North Carolina.
Bill also served the Carolina Organ Procurement Agency as Co-Medical Director and later Chief Medical Officer, working to improve donor management, organ preservation, and transplant care.
A respected leader in nephrology, Bill served as President of the National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina and as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Renal Failure from 1989 to 2005.
Throughout his career, Bill published more than 100 manuscripts and textbook chapters, lectured nationally and internationally, and remained deeply committed to education, mentorship, and patient care.
Students, colleagues, nurses, and patients admired Bill for his intellect, kindness, humor, and generosity. He loved teaching, encouraged generations of trainees, and treated every patient with dignity and compassion.
Outside of medicine, Bill enjoyed travel, woodworking, sailing, sports, and time with family and friends. He especially loved cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes and supporting his grandchildren at sporting events.
Bill's legacy lives on through the many lives he touched as a physician, educator, mentor, colleague, husband, father, grandfather, and friend.
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