Alan Finder, 72, Unflappable Newspaper Journalist, Dies

Alan Finder, an unflappable eye in the storm of daily newspapering, reported on or oversaw coverage of New York City government, education, urban affairs, sports and international news during nearly three decades at The New York Times.

He died Tuesday at 72 at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey, his daughter, Lauren Drucker, said.

Finder had complained of mild symptoms of a cold starting around March 7. When the symptoms worsened, his internist sent him to the emergency room for a chest X-ray, to rule out pneumonia, and a coronavirus test. The X-ray apparently proved negative, and doctors released him because they doubted he had the virus and feared he might be more likely to become infected in the hospital.

His condition deteriorated at home, however, and he was admitted to the hospital early on March 14. That evening, the test results confirmed that he had contracted the virus.

Finder was a beat reporter on the metropolitan desk, bureau chief at City Hall and an editor for sports enterprise and for regional news at The Week in Review.

In an often frenetic profession, he found the time to mentor colleagues; somehow maintained a sardonic — but never cynical — sense of humor; and managed to vitalize what in lesser hands might have been benumbing explications of why property tax assessments, revisions of the City Charter and affirmative action goals in granting municipal contracts were relevant to average readers.

Born Feb. 19, 1948, in Brooklyn, Alan Aaron Finder graduated from Valley Stream South High School on Long Island and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Rochester in 1969 and a master’s in American studies from Yale.

He worked as a reporter and editor for The Bergen Record in Hackensack, New Jersey, and a reporter at Newsday, on Long Island, before joining The Times in 1983.

He retired in 2011 but had worked part time as an editor at The Record, Newsday and, until recently, on the international desk of The Times.

He lived in Ridgewood, New Jersey, with his wife, Elaine (Isaacson) Finder. In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by their son, Jason.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times .