Wayne I. Fink
Wayne I. Fink, 80, died peacefully at his home in Klickitat on Jan. 8, 2009, after an eight year battle with cancer.
Wayne was the middle child of Glenn O. and Cleah M. (Teter) Fink, and was born on June 9, 1928 in Newburg, Ore. He has one older brother, Merlin and Francie Fink of Husum, and a younger sister, Margie and Marty Powell of Lyle. The Fink family moved to Laurel, when Wayne and Merlin were very young, then to White Salmon, where Wayne went to high school. Wayne joined the Marine Corp in 1945. His family moved to Underwood, and then to Klickitat, where Wayne joined them when he was discharged.
Wayne and Betty (Crawford) were married on Oct. 9, 1950 in White Salmon, and of this union was born two daughters, Judy and Milton Lamping, Lynde and Melvin Curtis, and one son, Ross and Judy (Holly) Fink, all of Klickitat.
Wayne worked at Broughton Lumber Company for a number of years, then bought a logging truck and worked for Gervais Neilson and a few others until his truck caught fire in the woods and was destroyed. Wayne, Betty and children then moved to Del Norte, Co., where Wayne worked as truck boss for Cliff Harbough. The Company then moved to Holbrook, Ariz.
Upon learning his Dad was ill, Wayne moved the family to Klickitat to be near his folks, and went to work at J Neils Lumber Company, as an oiler and then millwright, where he worked for 26 years, until an accident disabled him and forced him to retire.
Wayne is survived by his wife, three children, seven grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and many nieces and nephews, whom he dearly loved.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, at Gardner Funeral Home in White Salmon, with a potluck reception following at the White Salmon Grange. Those wishing to make a memorial contribution in Wayne’s name, the family suggests Hospice of the Gorge or Klickitat Little League.
