Raymond Ned Fink

Raised on his family’s Dietz Road farm, Raymond was the second-born child of Ned Jay Fink and Mary Leona Parker Fink. He graduated from Williamston High School in 1949, having played cornet in the marching band. He volunteered for the Navy and served from 1951 to 1953 stationed in Providence, Rhode Island, on the USS Yosemite tender as a machinist mate. On his release, his superior gifted him the toolbox that would set his career in motion.

On June 25, 1954, at 23, Raymond married Clara Jo “Jody Elizabeth” Jones in Williamston. Together they raised four children in the home on Noble Road that he built in stages. The family lived in one half of its walk-out basement, while Raymond operated a machine shop in the other half. After eight years and his wife’s ultimatum, Raymond built the main house above the basement, and the family moved upstairs.

In 1968, in his backyard, Raymond built the first of several adjoining buildings to house the then 3-year-old R.N. Fink Manufacturing Inc., a plastics factory. For almost 30 years, Raymond was part of the day-to-day operations of the factory, which produced custom containers including shampoo, peroxide, aspirin, chlorine products, and more. It had peak annual employment of 30 people and provided work to hundreds over the course of Raymond’s career. He remained active in operations until he retired in 1995, ultimately selling the business in 2008.

A creative and methodical thinker, slide-rule user and inventor, Raymond devised a way to channel heat generated by the machines in the factory to warm the family’s in-ground swimming pool. He rigged a bell beneath his bed to ring when machines went offline in the night. Slipping into his steel-toe boots and navy or tan work clothes, he would get up and make repairs.

Raymond gave blood every six weeks, surpassing 50 gallons in the 1990s. He continued to donate until he was 80 years old. He was generous and loved a good pun. His passion was aviation: He flew private planes until he was 70, visited museums across the country, and attended air shows in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, multiple times. He loved to travel, visiting many countries, including Israel, France, England, Italy, and Switzerland. In his retirement, he built a pole barn he called his “museum,” which housed a collection of classic machines including his first lathe and the vintage Williamston fire truck that had responded to the family home for a smoky fireplace malfunction in the 1960s.

Raymond was married to Lillian Bean Jones from 1978 until her death in 2015. In 2016, he married Gerry Beach, who survives him. Together, they enjoyed traveling, venturing in their motorhome and visiting family.

In addition to his loving wife, he is survived by three children: Carol Valor, Anne Daniel, and Eric (Lesa Johnson) Fink; stepchildren Rick (Pam) Beach, Rita Beach, John (Sharon) Beach, Curt (Marilyn) Netzloff, Janetta (Charles) Miller, Homer (Donnalyn) Jones Jr., Rebecca French.

Left to mourn him, his grandchildren include Ray Valor, Jodi (Eric) Friedman, Phil (Jenny) McFarland, Ray McFarland, Loni Fink, Nick Johnson, Becca Beach, Jenn (Brett) Wakeman, Ryan (Courtney) Gailey, Ron (Elizabeth) Gailey, Haley (Denton) Beach-Curry, Anna Netzloff, Zach Beach, and Michael Beach.

Among those who preceded him in death are his sister, Virginia Fink Gibbons; daughter, Weaver Rose “Mary Kay” Habl Bloomfield; and granddaughter, Nikki Ylon Fink.

There will be an informal open house reception from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Williamston Lakes Clubhouse, 2300 Deep Lake, Williamston, Michigan. There will be a short program at 2 p.m.