Richard Allen Flink

Flink, Richard Allen
Mar. 1, 1935 - Dec. 24, 2012
Richard (Dick) Allen Flink, born March 1, 1935, in New York, New York and resident of North Venice, Florida and Harwich, Massachusetts, died peacefully on December 24, 2012, after a brave battle with lung cancer.
Dick attended Stuyvesant High School in New York City where he graduated at the age of 16, Brandeis University and New York University School of Law where he later earned a Master of Laws in Trade Regulation. Mr. Flink was Vice President and General Counsel to C. R. Bard Corporation for 30 years. He also received an honorable discharge as an officer of the United States Marine Corps.
After law school he ran for New York State Assembly on the Republican ticket and was approached by two Russian employees of the United Nations. They told him that Moscow would contribute to his political campaign in return for his agreement to advocate certain policies, if elected, in speeches to organizations. They also said that they wanted him to provide information regarding internal operations of U.S. government agents and personal information about influential members of the Republican Party.
Dick immediately reported the incident to members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and at their request became a counter-spy, meeting frequently with the two Russians and then reporting the events to the FBI. As a result of his efforts, on September 16, 1962, then Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy announced to the nation that the two Russian espionage agents had been expelled from the United States for "illegitimate intelligence activities." The operation was subsequently the subject of a made-for-television movie and a chapter in the book, "Red Spies in the U.N."
Dick was an avid golfer, traversing the courses at Cranberry Valley Golf Course and Ocean Edge Club on Cape Cod regardless of the weather and the Venetian Golf Club in Florida. He made many golf friends who will miss him dearly. His favorite golf course was Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon.
He was also active in the affairs of the town of Harwich, MA where he served for many years on the Board of Appeals including two terms as chairman.
Dick is survived by his beloved wife, Janet, his loving children Andrea Flink and Gary Flink and cherished grandchildren Francesca Flink, Carly Flink, Olivia Flink, Max Flink, Kate Rosenberg and Julia Rosenberg.
A gathering in his honor will take place at the Venetian Golf and River Club in Venice, Florida on January 6, 2012.
Funeral services and burial took place in Harwich, MA on December 27, 2012.
The family graciously requests that in lieu of flowers, charitable donations in Dick's memory may be made to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida or to the American Cancer Society.