Irene Viola (Yackle) Fink, 103, passed away on Monday, January 9, 2023 at Valley View Care Center in Armstrong, Iowa.
Irene was born on October 3, 1919 to William and Ada (Culbertson) Yackle on a farm North of Emmetsburg, IA. Her family moved to Armstrong where she attended and graduated from Armstrong High School in 1937.
Irene worked for Lefty Belharz’s café in Armstrong for over 10 years. During WW II, she worked at Railway Motors in Fairmont, Minnesota. When her mother passed away, she returned home to care for two of sisters and a brother.
She continued to care for the family for an additional two years until her father died. Irene’s youngest brother, Larry then moved in with their sister Lenora’s family. Irene continued to help raise her sisters.
After WWII, Irene met Gerald “Jeff” Fink, who had served in the U.S. Navy during the war. They were married in Fairmont in 1949. Irene moved to Ringsted and lived there until she went to Valley Vue Care Center in Armstrong. Irene and Jeff had two sons, Gregory (Greg) and William (Bill) Fink.
While in Ringsted, Irene worked most of her adult life at Carl Benson’s grocery store, and also as a cook at Ringsted High School, as well as Kitty’s Café on Main Street.
She was preceded in death by her husband Gerald who died in 1981. She is survived by her sons Greg and Bill (Donna); her Grandchildren: Alison Rudolf, (Justin), Jefferson Fink, as well as her Great-grandson Jarrett son of Alison and Justin. Irene was the last of her three brothers and four sisters to leave this Earth: sisters Lenora Hedge, Audrey Nutt, Betty Berggren, Joan Thon, and brothers Boyd Yackle, Glenn Yackle, Larry Yackle.
Irene was a member of United (St. Paul’s) Lutheran Church and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
In lieu of flowers or plants, memorials will be used by the family.
Online condolences may be left for Irene’s family at HenryOlsonFuneral.com
