WILLIAM H. FINGER

LINCOLN — It is with great sadness to announce William H Finger, age 80, died peacefully at his home in Lincoln, Vt., Aug. 24, 2026.

He was born at Mary Fletcher hospital in Burlington, Vt., Dec. 14, 1945, the son of William M. Finger and Agnes H Finger. Bill moved to Newburg, N.Y. in the 1940s and attended grade school and high school there. He later graduated from the University of Vermont in 1967.

Bill spent many summers as a child and teen at his grandmother’s house in Lincoln. Later he served in Vietnam. He moved to Lincoln permanently in 1974.

He served as Middlebury’s town manager from 2001 to 2012, retiring after a long and distinguished career in municipal government, having previously served as town manager of West Rutland and Shelburne.

His achievements are extraordinary. Some include overseeing the building of the Grist Mill bridge, Lower Plains Road bridge, Cross Street bridge, and expensive renovations and maintenance of Pulp Mill bridge and Battell Bridge, earning him the right to be designated Bridge Builder Extraordinaire. Bill was a leader in the town’s needs, guiding and planning for a new Town Center, always maintaining an attitude of benevolent calm, courtesy and genuine caring for the concerns of citizens. He achieved statewide recognition as a leader in municipal government, having served as a member and president of board of directors of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. He was later named its Municipal Person of the year.

Bill’s devotion to his beloved town of Lincoln was unprecedented. He was always willing to help, to do whatever needed to be done. He formed a task force to build a new town office in 2016, served on the selectboard from 1978 to 1984, then returned in 2013, serving nine more years as board chair. He was board chair of Weathervane senior apartments, which he helped create. His accomplishments in highway improvements, bridge rebuilding and repair are too numerous to mention.

He helped create Lincoln Sports, of which he was the chairperson, helped move a Church after the old one burned down, and even taught Bible class to children for a while. Always with humility and a calm demeanor, he had an interest in listening to others and being approachable to all. He was a good neighbor, happy to help. He had a love of animals. He was a kind and loving man.

He is survived by his spouse, Glen Bartolomeo; his cousins, Steve Harris, Ginny, Dick and Brad; his niece, Dana; and nephew, Scott.

A memorial service will be held at the United Church of Lincoln, at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 19.

Donations may be made to Weathervane senior apartments and Homeward Bound — Addison County’s Humane Society. ◊