Gunnar Finne, age 89, passed away peacefully on December 23, 2025, in Dallas, Texas.

Gunnar was born on August 9, 1936, in Ytre Arne, a beautiful, picturesque village outside Bergen, Norway. He was the fourth-born child of Styrk and Astrid Finne. Born during the 1936 Olympic Games, Gunnar's childhood and formative years unfolded during the difficult era of occupied Norway. As a young man, Gunnar proudly served in the Norwegian Navy aboard a submarine—an experience that ultimately reflected his lifelong love of the sea.

Intellectually curious from an early age, Gunnar earned his first degree in education in Bergen and taught at the local junior college before continuing his academic journey abroad. Driven by a profound and enduring love of learning, he attended Queen's College in Belfast, Ireland where he earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in organic chemistry. He later received a Master of Science in microbiology and a PhD in fisheries technology from the University of Washington.

It was at the University of Washington where Gunnar met the love of his life, Mona Rizk, an art history student from Alexandria, Egypt. As international students, their early years together were filled with hiking and skiing in the Cascades mountains — pursuits that matched Gunnar's adventurous, playful spirit. They were married on December 1, 1973, in an intimate candlelight ceremony in Seattle, beginning a lifelong partnership that spanned 52 years, rooted in unwavering companionship, mutual respect, laughter, and love.

Gunnar's academic career was both distinguished and deeply personal, marked by a strong commitment to those who he taught and mentored. After teaching at Clemson University, he was recruited by Texas A&M University, where he held a faculty position in the Department of Animal Science devoted to research while also teaching graduate students. He specialized in seafood technology and microbiology, nutrient analysis, and foodborne pathogens, and was the author of numerous research papers and technical articles. He also supervised the Texas A&M Experimentation Station in Galveston. An eloquent writer and respected scientist, Gunnar secured significant research funding for the University and, alongside trusted colleagues and friends, co-founded a private research laboratory devoted to applied microbiology and food sciences.

Beloved by colleagues and his graduate students alike, Gunnar was admired not only for his keen intellect and unique expertise, but for the way he taught and mentored — always patient, deeply engaged, and genuinely enthusiastic. He humbly invested himself in the success of others and found deep joy in watching his students and mentees flourish, both academically and in life.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Gunnar was an extraordinary and deeply engaged father and grandfather who delighted in time spent with his children and grandchildren. Playful and full of laughter, he loved games of all kinds, especially chess and golf, often turning everyday moments into opportunities for fun and connection. He had a gift for humor and could always be counted on for a good laugh or a playful challenge. Gunnar loved nature and shared that love with his family — always eager for a backyard game of badminton or a cross-country skiing expedition. An accomplished saxophonist and flutist, he also passed along his passion for music to those he loved. An immense animal lover, wonderful with children, and very much a big kid at heart, Gunnar was gentle, humble, and warm, with a remarkable way of making everyone feel welcomed, valued, and at ease.

Gunnar was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. His legacy endures in the family he loved, the values he instilled in them, the students he mentored, and the many lives he touched with his kindness, sense of humor, and generosity of spirt.

He is survived by his wife, Mona Rizk-Finne; his children, Jan Richard Finne, and Giselle Finne Gafford; son-in-law David Gafford; and his grandchildren, Dean Rizk, Eirik Joseph, and Finn Edward Gafford, who were a constant source of pride and joy.

A Celebration of Life service for Gunnar's life will be held on January 23, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association in his memory.