LENOX, Mass. —  

Helen Fink, of Kimball Farms Life Care in Lenox, Massachusetts, died at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield on July 28, 2021 after a sudden illness. Helen’s passing followed two significant events in her life; she lost Milt Fink, her husband of 71 years, on June 16 and she celebrated her 95th birthday on July 17. Her family was constantly by her side for her final week, and she was comforted by the compassionate and capable staff at the hospital, along with Hospice Care in the Berkshires, Inc.

Helen was a vibrant and tenacious woman, with strong opinions and a keen sense of fairness and justice. Born in Far Rockaway, NY, she was an athletic teenager; she swam in the Atlantic Ocean, rode horses on what were then dirt roads on Long Island, and played tennis. While raising three children, Helen completed her undergraduate degree in education and a graduate degree in counseling at Hofstra College- all at night and during summers, and then worked in Valley Stream, NY elementary schools as a guidance counselor.

Helen was a lifelong learner, avid reader and outspoken activist for peace, conservation and democratic causes. Even in the last weeks of her life, she discussed with her family the books she was reading and helped curate books in Kimball Farms residential library. Helen believed that everything is broken but nothing is beyond repair, that even things that are badly damaged are worth fighting for. A passionate anti-war activist during the Vietnam era, she volunteered her skills to counsel young men to avoid the draft. Helen and Milt shared adventures together – they traveled the world, filled their lives with culture, and volunteered in their community. Together they ushered at Tanglewood for many years, and even later in life when she could no longer attend the concerts that gave her pleasure, Helen listened to the BSO Tanglewood broadcasts on the radio in the comfort of her home.

Above all of her interests and intellectual curiosity, Helen’s family was her biggest project and meant the world to her. She was devoted to Milt, and visited him regularly in the last few years of his life when he resided in Kimball Farm’s memory care. She and Milt were proud of their children and found great pleasure in the strong bonds the children have with each other as adults. She respected and adored her grandchildren and their partners. Helen leaves her sons David (Karen), Jesse (Betsy); her daughter Judy (Rob); and her grandchildren Nathan, Drew (Dani) and Carly, who miss her dearly.

The family will celebrate Helen’s life privately. For those who wish, donations may be made to the Helen and Milton Fink Scholarship Fund at the Berkshire Music School (berkshiremusicschool.org).