RICHARD A. "BUCK" FINK

Wasilla resident Richard Arlen "Buck" Fink, 68, died at his home of a heart attack on Dec. 20, 2004. A funeral service was held at Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, Wash., and he was laid to rest at Fern Hill Cemetery following the services. A celebration of life has been scheduled for family and friends at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 12 at the AMVETS, Mile 1 Wasilla-Fishhook Road in Wasilla.

Mr. Fink was born in Lady Smith, Wis., on Nov. 8, 1936. He graduated from high school in Elma, Wash. In 1955, at the age of 19, he joined the Marine Corps, where he served until 1961. He began working in the logging industry in Washington and moved to Alaska in 1984. Over the last 30 years, he has worked in the construction industry as a heavy equipment operator in many different capacities and retired from Knik Landscaping after 11 years of employment. He held memberships in the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the VFW and Moose Hall organizations. He enjoyed working with home improvement projects, yard work, spending time in his shop; he especially loved spending time with his kids and grandkids.

His family wrote, "Buck touched many lives with his wisdom, his kindness and his generous heart. His love for his wife, his family and his friends was unmatchable. Always a friend to everyone he met, he was a true inspiration to us all and will be greatly missed."

Mr. Fink is survived by his wife, Barbara Fink; daughters, Teryl Dailey, Barbie Jo Fink, Jody Hoffman, Micah Zehnder; sons, Pat Fink, Doug Fink, Tom McManus, Kevin McManus; sisters, Patty Colton and Betty Howey; a brother, Russell Fink; 20 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.