From Ian's wife:
2020 a year I shall never forget or forgive. Recently I sent a notice that Ian had recovered from Covid-19 and was leaving the hospital after 6 months to rehab. He did go to rehab and then back to the hospital and then finally home. We had Ian home after 7 1/2 months for 2 and ½ weeks and it was wonderful to finally feel we were on our way. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Last night we had to take him back to Cornell because of low blood pressure and oxyge...n levels which we have learned generally means an infection. My brilliant talented husband of 50 years heart stopped early this morning at approximately 1 AM. He had been well past the disease of Covid but each fight he had from stroke to heart surgery was directly related to this evil disease. I am devastated as well as our whole family, our two children Dara Finkel and her husband Chris Serpe, Abott Finkel and his wife Rosa Finkel, Ian’s brother Elliot Finkel and his wife Pamela Blake, our grandchildren, Isla Jane Serpe and Landen Finkel, Dr. Alan Manevitz and Andrea his wife and Benjamin their son and so many more family members. They have helped us and stood by us this year and gave us strength, which has been the most difficult year of our life. Our daughter Dara and I advocated throughout and not a moment did we relax till we got Ian home. He did make it home but for a short time. As we are still living through Covid-19 we will let you know when and where we will be able to give a farewell to this amazing man. The World’s Greatest Xylophonist, a funny man, so artistic, an author of many books, so complex as well as direct in all his thinking. There will never be another person like him as anyone who knows him knows. Please think of him and how he has touched you in your life and when the arrangements have been made, we would love for you to speak and share.
Please stay safe and wear your mask. Such a simple thing to help stop the devastation that our family has gone through. We will never be the same.
The funeral will be a private family affair in Liberty, NY.