Helen Fink

Helen Selma Fink January 9, 1923 - June 21, 2010 Our beloved mother, Helen Selma Fink, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones, on June 21, 2010. She died just around the moment of the Summer Solstice on the longest day of the year. She was 87 years young, active, vital and engaged until nearly the end. Mom suffered a short and valiant struggle with lung cancer that was diagnosed far too late. Mom never went to college but was the smartest person we ever met, a master at crossword puzzles, even the hard ones at the end of the week, and an expert bridge player. She was an avid reader, devouring two to three books a week. Mom had a passion for travel and exploring new places, but loved her home. A lifelong staunch Democrat, she never once missed a vote after first becoming eligible to vote in 1944. Mom didn't have a religious bone in her body but embodied Judeo-Christian and Buddhist values of love and compassion for all. She was love personified, but she showed, she didn't tell. Mom's love affair with Dad was one for the ages, The Girl from Roxbury and the Neighborhood Boy Who Loved Her. Love at first sight, when he observed her ravishing beauty as she was hanging out the window of her Roxbury, Massachusetts home, it took them a little while and a World War to get together. They married in 1946 and drove out to California from Boston in 1948 on two-lane roads in a four-cylinder English Ford, pioneers and adventurers. Mom came from a happy home but Dad wanted to move across the country in order to forge his own vision of family based on unconditional love and support. Mom was with him every step of the way as they created a loving family in the Brave New World of California, eventually settling in Concord. She lived there for 53 years, including in the same house for the past 46 years. While performing full-time duties as the Best Mom Ever, Mom also did secretarial and bookkeeping work for Dad's psychotherapy practice. Much more than a secretary, she was a partner in the family business. Mom was the life blood of the extended family of children, husbands and wives, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a matriarch in the best sense of the word, and we do not know how we will ever get by without her. But we have to, because that's what she taught us to do. Mom is survived by her loving and grieving family, son David G Fink, daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Richard Mashore, grandchildren Joseph White, Cori Mitchell, Michael Way and Alex Mashore, sons-in-law Joseph Way and F Lee Moulton, great-grandchildren Makayla, Jayden and Adrayana White, and Danica Mitchell, as well as granddaughter-in-law Kari White and grandson-in-law Adam Mitchell. Mom is also survived by her sister Estelle Berman of Westford, MA and brother Alfred White of Washington, DC. She was preceded in death by husband Martin B. Fink, PhD, daughter Susan Way, and grandson Daniel Way. Mom donated to tons of charities, particularly those devoted to environmental causes, national parks, veteran's affairs, museums, animal welfare and health-related issues. Any charity you might want to donate to would be fine. A celebration of her life will be held on Sunday, October 10, 2010, at 2:00 PM, at the following location: Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center Street, Clayton, CA 94517.