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MUSC’s oldest volunteer dies at age 90 by Cindy Abole Public Relations Dena Finnegan, who had the distinction of being MUSC’s oldest volunteer, died May 14.   Dena Finnegan Finnegan, who volunteered at MUSC since September 1990, supported the community by volunteering in the Tri-county area for more than two decades. Finnegan was 90 years old.   Born July 4, 1916, Finnegan worked for 24 years at the Charleston County Register of Mesne Conveyance. She officially retired in 1980 and began actively volunteering. She contributed more than 11,560 volunteer hours working at both MUSC and Roper-St. Francis Hospital.   Finnegan also gave her time to other programs, including the Confederate Tea Room, Election Day events, Camp Happy Days, the American Red Cross Carolina Lowcountry Chapter, Carter May Home, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and Friends of the Charleston County Library. Last November, Finnegan was recognized as a Post and Courier Jefferson Award winner for her community service.   Finnegan is survived by her son, retired orthodontist G. Thomas Finnegan, and daughter, Constance Kanapaux, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.   Memorial contributions may be made to either Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Roper-St. Francis or MUSC hospitals, or to the American Red Cross Blood Donation Program.    I am one of the MUSC volunteers and I worked with Dena many times. We all loved her and she will truly be missed. —Johnnie Rivers, MUSC Volunteer Services To the family of one of the most wonderful ladies I have ever met. I am the dietary manager at MUSC. Miss Dena was like a grandmother to me. I will miss her so much! There was never a time that she would come into the cafeteria and leave without kissing me no matter where I was working. I really loved her and will always have fond memories of her. —Maureen Seels, Dietetic Services Dena had a fender bender car accident and decided that she was too old to be driving. She rode the CARTA bus to and from volunteering for a number of years. When the bus system eliminated the service to her area she was left with no other means of transportation to get to the hospital. She would not give up her volunteer work. At 90 years of age she would volunteer from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and work the entire time. No one could make more trauma charts in that period of time than Dena. She was MUSC’s oldest volunteer but was the youngest at heart. —Elaine M. Rudd, Recruiter, MUSC Volunteer Services I consider myself blessed to have known Dena Finnegan. I consider MUSC very lucky to have had her volunteer for 17 years. Dena contributed more than 2,100 volunteer hours at MUSC through the years and always left asking, ‘Is there anything else you need me to do before I go?’ Dena came to MUSC to touch lives, help heal those she could with kindness and make a difference. She will be missed very much. —Katy A. Kuder, MUSC Volunteer Services manager Friday, June 8, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.