Gina Ann LaRosa-Finch

Regina Ann LaRosa-Finch

May 9th, 1961 – February 4th, 2025

Regina (Gina) LaRosa-Finch passed away on February 4th, 2025, in her home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina surrounded by her husband - Andy, twin children - Phoebe and Sam, her dog - Norman, mother, two sisters and a close friend. Gina had been fiercely fighting pancreatic cancer for the past 9 months. During that time, while undergoing chemotherapy, she worked tirelessly to enjoy simple moments with the people she loved. Gina traveled to the Carolina coast and Cape Cod with her sisters, Moab Utah with her family, Newburyport Massachusetts, Bluffton South Carolina, Avon Connecticut, and visited many surrounding areas of Chapel Hill. She would not let this disease stop her.

Gina and Andy moved to North Carolina in 2022 and fell in love with the area. In just a short amount of time, Gina established herself in the Newcomers Club of Greater Chapel Hill, took art classes, participated in adult education through OLLI at Duke, and joined the Chapel Hill Service League where she helped to co-found a local chapter of Cinderella’s Closet. This group helps have prom and homecoming dresses made available and tailored to young high school women on their big night. Gina was an active member of any group she joined.

Before Chapel Hill, Gina lived and raised her family in Avon, Connecticut, 30 minutes from her childhood home in New Hartford. She was an avid quilter and had made dozens of quilts in her lifetime, along with a variety of bags, cross stitch, needle point, clothing, most notably making her own prom dresses, and much more. Her creativity and strong work ethic pushed her in her day-to-day life. She was a Girl Scout troop leader and the Avon Girl Scout Service Unit Manager, Vice President of Avon Junior Women’s club, President of Avon Newcomers, organized many of her children’s sport and scouting fundraisers, became the Merchandising Manager at Sew Inspired Quilt Shop, and still made sure her family sat down to a delicious meal together every night. Gina always loved staying busy while her kids were at school, doing odd jobs for friends, babysitting, volunteering and working at her local quilt shop.

Before starting a family, Gina studied Fashion Merchandising in New York City. Her retail career took her from Sales Associate, to store manager, to Regional Sales Director. She worked for a variety of large fashion brands like Abercrombie and Fitch, American Eagle, and The Nature Company in Faneuil Hall, bringing her to Boston in the early 90s. It was Boston where she met her husband Andy in 1992 playing volleyball. The two shared their love of exploring new places together, and went on many trips all over the States, the Caribbean, and many parts of Europe. This love of exploration she encouraged in her children as well. Gina taught her kids to be kind, caring, and hardworking, not only through words but by her actions. Gina will live on through every person she has ever interacted with. Her grace, joy, laughter, attention, creativity, selflessness and love will never be forgotten.

A small service will be held at the Walker Funeral Home on Saturday February 15th in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at 2pm.

A larger service will take place in Avon Connecticut in May, more details to come. Gina wanted a big party (her words).

For both events, we ask that, rather than flowers, a donation be made to the Lustgarten Foundation - https://lustgarten.org/ , which focuses on advanced Pancreatic Cancer research, or the National Audubon Society - https://www.audubon.org/ . Gina loved birds - we will be sure to keep her bird feeder full.