Patricia Anne Fink

Feb 7, 1929 -

Sep 12, 2026

Our wonderful mother planned in advance her own obituary to save her family from grief. Here it is.

"I have always enjoyed writing – stories and poems. This is my story up to a point. My name is Patricia Anne Fink (nee Israelson). I was born in a hospital in Peoria, but raised in Chillicothe, Ill., a small town on the banks of the Illinois River. My parents were Edah and Nelson Israelson. Daddy went by the name "Swede" because both of his parents were Swedish. My brother David was born two years later.

The '30s were in the depression era. I don't think we suffered much. Daddy still had his job as timekeeper for the Sante Fe Railroad. We played games with the neighborhood kids, bicycled, went roller skating, hiked and fished. Now kids are obsessed with TV, computers, cell phones, iPads, TikTok and other social media. For me, it was an innocent time. At mass one Sunday morning, I saw a new boy. I found out he was Tom Fink and a year ahead of me in high school. As the saying goes "I set my cap for him." I was in 8th grade at the time. After graduation, I went to Marycrest College, a small Catholic school in Iowa. After two years, I returned home and worked in a bank. Tom and I married on Feb. 3, 1951, in Chillicothe. He flew up to Anchorage, Alaska, in June 1952. I followed with our first daughter in September 1952.

Tom worked in insurance and we went to a number of conventions - Mexico, Italy, Jamaica, Switzerland and Thailand. We also traveled all of Europe, the U.K., Africa, Australia and Egypt – sometimes alone or with family and friends. The summers were my gardening time. Now in my waning years, I read, do crossword and jigsaw puzzles and enjoy my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

As I write this, I am 97 years "wise." My two loving parents; brother, David; and son-in-law, Bu, have passed. The boy who I set my cap for when I was in 8th grade has also passed. He was my husband for 70 years. As I look back, I have no regrets. All but one of my children live here and my mind is still alert. I leave behind 11 beautiful children, Deborah, Ann, Maureen (Pete), Mark (Lyn), Michael (Karen), Kate (Don), Tom, Matt, Josh, Jody, Kelly; 17 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren."

A Mass will be held at Holy Family Cathedral on Sept. 25, 2026, at 2 p.m. Our Mother has requested pastel or colorful clothing, if possible.