Eugene "Gene" Andrew Fink

Eugene Andrew “Gene” Fink,  age 88 of Crystal, MN passed away peacefully at JA Wedum Residential Hospice in Brooklyn Park, surrounded by his loving family.

Eugene Andrew Fink was born July 2, 1930 in Minneapolis, MN to Andrew and Helen (Wachtler) Fink. He graduated from grammar school at Sacred Heart School in Robbinsdale, and later Robbinsdale High School in 1948. After high school, he attended the Catholic Minor Seminary in St. Paul for one year. He met his future spouse, Marie Thérèse (Terry) Kennedy before he was drafted into the U. S. Marine Corps in 1950. He served his country during the Korean War as a Sargeant in field communications.

He was united in marriage to Terry on May 22nd, 1954 at Our Lady of Lourdes in Northeast Minneapolis. Gene’s vocation was caring for his wife, their eight children, and raising them in the Catholic faith. He worked as a carpenter for William Kranz, Inc. for over forty years. He enjoyed his family and friends through their faith study club and grew his culinary skills around the family kitchen table. He was noted for his poppy seed bread, popcorn balls, fish fries, salsa, sauerkraut, wine and more. He loved nature, gardening, and fishing. He was a faith formation teacher and active volunteer at his parish. He and Terry recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary but eternity could not separate them for long as he passed away only eight days after she did.

Survivors include his children: Rev. Joseph Patrick Fink of St. Paul, Peter Matthew (Debbie) Fink of Staples, Mary Elizabeth (Dick) Reinke of Forest Lake, Mary Ann (John) Wilwerding of Freeport, Andrew Eugene (Kim) Fink of Pillager, Paul Arthur (Kathleen) of Edina, Margaret Mary (Tom) Cotter of Crystal, Mary Catherine (Joey) Cronin of Maple Grove; 34 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren, and 35 saints; brother, James (Jim) Fink of Brooklyn Center; sisters-in-law Mary Elizabeth (Liz) Sobraske of Mound, Margaret (Peg) Dwinell of New Hope; many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Gene was preceded in death by his wife Marie Thérèse (Kennedy) Fink, infant sons Aloysius Sebastian and Daniel James, great grandson Benjamin Reinke, parents Andrew and Helen (Wachtler) Fink; in-laws Joseph and Ada (LaPierre) Kennedy; brother Norman Fink, sisters, Virginia Schmidt, Marge Subialka; brothers-in-law Dick Dwinell, George Schmidt, Jack Sobraske and Ray Subialka; sisters-in-law Joan Fink and Mary Lou Fink.

Since Gene was baptized and will be buried in his beloved home parish, in lieu of flowers please send donations to Sacred Heart Parish and School in Robbinsdale, MN.