Wilhelm J. Fink

1921 - 2013

Wilhelm (William) J. Fink

Lovell, WY —Dec. 25, 1921- July 20, 2013

William J. Fink, 91, a longtime resident of Lovell, died Saturday, July 20, 2013, at North Bighorn Hospital.

Wilhelm was born in Kane, WY to Emelia Bindewald and John D. Fink on Dec. 25, 1921, making him the seventh of ten children. Willie served as a Staff Sargent in the army from 1944 to 1946.

On Aug. 8, 1952, he married Genevieve Earl and together they had three daughters. Willie and his brother, Gottlieb farmed side by side for many years winning awards for most sugar concentration per acre. In addition, he worked for Great Western Sugar Factory and Colloid. He prided himself on his incredible work ethic and never left a job undone. During his many years Willie enjoyed several hobbies and skills including: league bowling, pool, fishing, basketball, ice and roller skating, gardening and playing various types of card games with friends and family.

He was preceded in death by both of his parents, his loving wife, Genevieve; five brothers; John, Carl, Gottlieb, Solomon and Daniel, and one great-grandson. He is survived by his three daughters, Martha (Carl) Schroeder of Great Falls, Paula (Lewis) McSharry of Farmington, N.M., and Julie (Myron) Mumford of Lovell; five grandchildren John Joseph Roberts, Amanda (Mike) Elliott, and Tim (Cera) Schroeder, all of Great Falls Mont.; Mariah Mumford (Manuel Briseno) of Powell and William Michael Mumford of Lovell; 12 great-grandchildren, Deston Manning, Taia Haggerty, Kierra Haggerty, Faith Ariegwe, Cody Elliott, Trisha Elliott, Bradley Elliott, Kellie Rose Schroeder and Dominic Miller, all of Great Falls, Noah Mumford, Jonathan Mendoza and Avry Briseno of Powell; two brothers, Al Fink of Powell and Emil Fink of Lovell; and two sisters; Marie Doerr of Puyallup WA and Bertha Gernant of Billings; one sister-in-law, Julia (Babe) Fink and numerous nieces and nephews.

The viewing will be Tuesday, July 23, 2013, and memorial services will be held Wednesday, July 24, 2013, at 11 a.m. at St John's Lutheran Church. Interment services followed at the Lovell Cemetery.

God Made a Farmer

And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker." So God made a farmer.

God said, "I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the field, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight shooting pool." So God made a farmer.

God said, "I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say, 'Maybe next year,' I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from an ash tree, shoe a horse with hunk of car tire, who can make a harness out hay wire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. Who, during planting time and harvest season will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon and then, paining from tractor back, put in another 72 hours." So God made the farmer.

God said, "I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to wean pigs and tend the pink-comb pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the leg of a meadowlark."

It had to be somebody who'd plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and brake, and disk, and plow, and plant, and haul the beets and strain the milk. Somebody who'd bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh and reply with smiling eyes. "So God made a farmer."