A memorial mass will be held Tuesday afternoon at two at Lubbock's Christ the King Cathedral for one of Texas Tech's longest serving and most respected professors. Dr. Aldo Finco passed away Saturday at the age of 89.
Finco retired from the university just a few years ago capping a distinguished career in higher education, of which 37 years were devoted to Tech. Dr. Finco was a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Classical and Romance Languages and an endowed chair in Italian.
He was a native of Northern Italy emigrating to the United States in the early 50's where he says his life really began. But he never lost the passion for his native land ,especially the Italian language which he called the language of the poets.
He easily conveyed that passion to his students during classes that were always lively and quite entertaining. He was fond of saying he always taught from the heart, not books. He was also an accomplished author writing four texts that are still used in the United States and internationally today,and perhaps his crowning achievement was being knighted by the President of Italy in 1977 as Knighthood of the order of Merit from the Republic of Italy which recognized his tireless efforts as a goodwill ambassador for his homeland.
But for all his many honors and accomplishments, Dr. Finco was most proud of the relationship he forged with his students This quote says it all: "He was such a caring person, and a friend as well as a great educator. There are great teachers and then there is Dr. Finco."
Finco was a gentle man who devoted his life to a very large family. His wife Malaka, son and daughter John and Carla Ilaria, three grand daughters Malaka Grace, Ava Ilaria and Ella Elizabeth, son and daughter in laws Brad Moran and Marla Finco and countless numbers of students who adored him.
