Retired United States Air Force Colonel David Frederick Fink, Sr., of Colleyville, Texas, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 76 on August 2, 2022, in Grapevine, Texas.
David was born October 21, 1945, to Carl and Joan Fink in Sydney, Australia. Shortly after his birth they moved to Buffalo, New York, Carl’s hometown.
With his father being an Army veteran, David always wanted to serve his country. After graduating from Frontier High School in Hamburg, New York in 1963, David went to college at The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and was a member of the swim team and played saxophone in the VMI Marching Band. He graduated from VMI in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. After surviving the ratline at VMI, David enlisted in The United States Air Force on July 15, 1967. In 1974, he received his Master of Science in Facilities Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology. David served in the Vietnam War from December 1968 to December 1969 and as support of Operation Desert Storm/Shield from August 1990 to June 1993. He received several service medals highlighted by The Defense Superior Service Medal. He retired as a Colonel on June 30, 1993.
David met the love of his life, Marlene, in 1973 in Dayton, Ohio and were married January 17, 1974. The couple’s first child, Heather Mustell, was born April 25, 1976, at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Their Son, David Jr., was born March 13, 1982, at Andrews AFB in Maryland.
After 25 years of service, David continued his engineering career at Freese & Nichols, the City of Arlington and the North Texas Toll Road Authority. In his spare time he loved swimming, playing golf at Timarron Country Club, and watching Buffalo Bills and Texas Ranger games.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl Fink and Joan Warner Fink.
David is survived by his wife of 48 years, Marlene Fink, Heather (Robert) Mustell and David (Jeri) Fink Jr., and two grandsons Jacob and Frederick Mustell.
“In Pace Decus, In Bello Praesidium.”