Don R. Fink Remembered: Brian Hurley Remembers

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Brian Hurley Remembers

"I considered Gramps like a real grandpa, not an in-law. I wish I had spent more time with him. But I remember the times I went to watch the ball games with him. He would give me a lot of grief about my team if they lost.

"There were times I would go by myself, without Jaime and the girls. We would talk a lot because he hated listening to the TV announcers.

"I also enjoyed his stories about Granny and the different jobs he had, and his stories about going to the ball games in Cleveland in the 50s. One of my favorite stories was the one when he was supposed to go to work but there was a very memorable game on TV and he stopped at the bar and watched the game and had some beers and ended up missing work.

"In another story, which was more recent, Granny went to go get the mail and when she went outside she fell out of her chair. The dog got out and went down the street and apparently drew a big crowd to help her. Gramps said he peeked out the blinds, saw the commotion, closed the blinds quickly, and went back to watching TV. It may not seem humorous with me writing, but listening to Gramps tell it was hysterical.

"I also don't ever remember him talking about how much he liked people except for my girls. He loved them very much and always enjoyed them being around. he liked having them ride around in the electric wheel chair and he would charge it up before they came over with Pat to mow the lawn.

"I will miss him and his storytelling and watching the ball games with him. I look forward to seeing him and Granny in paradise."

~Brian Hurley, grandson-in-law

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In Memoriam

Texarkana, Tex. – Don R. Fink, 81, of Texarkana, Tex., died of natural causes at Dubuis Hospital on Friday, August 22, 2008.

Mr. Fink was born on Feb. 16, 1927 in Mount Hope, West Virginia .

In 1933, Mr. Fink’s mother began regularly attending the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and took her three children with her to services every week. Mr. Fink attended these meetings throughout the remainder of his life and could frequently be found ministering to others from house to house.

After graduating high school, Mr. Fink attended the University of Akron and received a bachelor of fine arts degree.

At 21, Mr. Fink attended a dance where he met the Frieda Mae Ullrich. “It was love at first sight,” Mr. Fink said often. The couple wed a week later on Feb. 16, 1949 in Catlettsburg, Kentucky and remained married for 58 years. Together they raised eight children.

Throughout his life, Mr. Fink was an industrious worker and oftentimes worked two jobs to support his large family. During the early years of his marriage, he worked as a press operator for Ford Motor Company in Cleveland, Ohio. Later, he worked as a maintenance employee for Day and Night Heating and Air in California. At the same time, he also operated a landscaping business with his two eldest sons, Michael and Patrick.

Mr. and Mrs. Fink moved their family to Texarkana, Ark. in 1974. Later, the couple became managers of the historic Hotel Grim.

Despite years of working manual labor, however, Mr. Fink always returned to his art. In the twilight of his life, he volunteered his time at Red Lick School, teaching students basic art. “He enjoyed it so much, he taught several classes and in return he received hundreds of thank you cards from the students,” said his daughter, Pamela Austin.

“He had a sense of humor that got him through many tough times,” Mrs. Austin said. Mr. Fink’s granddaughter, Jaime Hurley, recounted the way he seemed to have a joke for every occasion, even when he was in the hospital at the very end of his life. “He made people laugh up until the end,” she said.

Mr. Fink was preceded in death by his parents, Homer Fink and Wreathel Champe Fink; his wife, Frieda Mae Fink; two sons, Dennis Fink and Michael Fink; one daughter, Dianna Pillow; and one granddaughter, Dianna Ray Pillow.

Survivors include two sons, Patrick Fink of Texarkana, Ark., and David Fink of Ethridge, Tenn., three daughters, Deborah Fisher of Jacksonville, Ark., Pamela Austin of Texarkana, Tex., and Rachael Jones of Maineville, Ohio, one sister, Barbara Christall of Glendale, Ariz.; 15 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and a number of other relatives.

Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Nash, Texas with Dexter Hughes officiating.

Relatives will be at the home of Pamela and James Austin, 9101 N. Kings Hwy., Texarkana, Tex., 75503.