We offer our sincere sympathy and prayers to State Senator Barry Finegold of Andover, his parents Sondra and Michael Finegold and his entire family on the loss of their dear sister and daughter Joni Alicia Finegold of Alexandria, VA.  Joni – only 42 years of age – was raised in both Tewksbury and Andover. Read about her here in the Senator’s statement:

My family and I are very sad to share that my sister, Joni, passed away this morning. Hug your brother or sister today. State Senator Barry R. Finegold (D—Andover), along with his family, regretfully announces the death of his sister, Joni Alicia Finegold of Alexandria, VA. Joni lost her battle with cancer on July 26, 2012. Joni fought non-smoking related lung cancer for 18 months. She was 42.

Joni served the United States Department of State in the Foreign Service Division. Accepted at the age of 23, she was one of the youngest people to ever be accepted into the Foreign Service, which is an elite program designed to protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad. She was assigned to a hardship post as a Political and Economic Officer in Bogota, Columbia, during the height of the drug cartel in 1995 to 1996, where she traveled to work each day in an armored car. Joni also served as a Consular and Political Officer i…n London, England and Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1992 to 1994 during the violence leading up to the first ceasefire.

“We honor those who fight for the peace but we often forget those whose job it is to keep the peace. Joni was truly honored to serve the United States in this capacity,” said Barry Finegold. Most recently, Joni was an Adjunct Instructor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Joni attended North Street School in Tewksbury, MA, and South School and Doherty Junior High School in Andover, MA. She graduated Phillips Academy Andover in 1987 and went on to attend Barnard College and then graduated from the London School of Economics, majoring in International Relations, in 1991. She later received her Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University in 2004 and was working towards her PhD in Political and International Affairs, also at George Mason.

Joni is survived by her husband Daniel Sachs and their two daughters, Lillian, 11, and Miriam, 6, all of Alexandria, VA.; her parents Sondra and Michael Finegold of Andover, MA; her sister, Diana Finegold of New York, NY; her brother, Barry Finegold, sister-in-law Amy Finegold, nieces Ava and Ella, and nephew Max Finegold, all of Andover, MA; and grandmother, Marian Shapiro of Coconut Creek, FL.

A funeral service will be held in Virginia. The family will be sitting Shiva on August 1 and 2 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the home of Michael and Sondra Finegold, 11 Lavender Hill Lane, Andover.

 In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (http://www.dana-farber.org/How-to-Help.aspx) and Phillips Academy Andover’s student financial aid program (https://www.andover.edu/giving/howtogive/pages/onlinegiving.aspx).