Jacqueline Finer, advocate for older adults
Jacqueline “Jackie” Tippett Sunderland Finer, 95, a longtime Lewes resident known for her vision, compassion, and tireless advocacy for older adults, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Pickersgill Retirement Community in Towson, Md.
Born in Baltimore, Md., Oct. 20, 1930, to Mary Egan Tippett and William Thomas Tippett, Jackie lived a life dedicated to service and community. She started as vice president of the Junior League of Baltimore in the 1960s. Later, she led advocacy efforts to establish the Waxter Center, the city’s first senior center, setting the course for a distinguished career in aging policy.
In 1971, Jackie joined the National Council on Aging in Washington, D.C., where she worked for 18 years developing national programs for senior centers and writing influential papers on aging and the arts. She became the founding director of the National Center on Arts and Older Americans and took part in both the 1971 and 1981 White House Conferences on Aging.
After retiring and moving to Lewes in the 1990s, Jackie brought her energy and leadership to her new community. She was an early champion of Aging in Place and Universal Design and served on the design committee for Lewes Public Library to ensure accessibility for older residents. Most notably, she founded the Greater Lewes Community Village—now known as the Village Volunteers—an organization that continues to provide essential support to older adults in Lewes, Rehoboth and Milton.
In 2020, on her 90th birthday, Jackie was formally honored by the Delaware General Assembly and the City of Lewes for her years of service and enduring impact on the community.
Jackie will be remembered for her intelligence, grace, humor, and her unwavering belief in the power of community. She is survived by her sons, Trey Sunderland (Suzan Kovarick) and Bill Sunderland (Anne Sunderland); grandchildren, Andrew, Lida, Jack, Julia and Sam; and great-grandchildren Eleanor, Rocky, Theo, Archie and Lake.
A memorial service will be held in Lewes this spring, with the date to be announced
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Village Volunteers.
