Irving L Fink

Irving L. Fink,
95, who practiced law in Indiana from 1949 until he was hospitalized a few weeks ago, died at home in Indianapolis on April 5, 2015. He died peacefully, in the presence of his wife of 69 years, and several children and grandchildren.

Fink, the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland, was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on March 25, 1920, and grew up in nearby Newton Falls. He earned a B.S. in Northwestern University's School of Speech in 1941, then spent four years in the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Great Britain for some months through the time of the D-Day invasion, and Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant during his time in France after D-Day. He was honorably discharged in 1945.

He met Beatrice Borman of Toledo, Ohio, during a stateside leave before shipping overseas. They exchanged letters during the war, and married on September 2, 1945. Fink studied at the University of Michigan Law School and received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1948. He was admitted to the Indiana Bar in March 1949.

His strong sense of justice led him often to represent the underdog and to take many cases that involved civil liberties and issues of freedom of religion and speech. He represented African-American students from Crispus Attucks High School who were refused service at an Indianapolis restaurant. He represented a Jehovah's Witness who was fired from his job as a public school principal because he would not pledge allegiance to the flag. During the Vietnam War, he represented soldiers and draftees who resisted service in the military as well as Marian College students who were arrested for picketing their president's house.

Poetry and musical composition were an important part of Fink's life from the age of four, when he memorized the World War I poem, "In Flanders Fields," by Canadian John McCrae, and was asked to recite it at the Newton Falls town commemoration of the war (known then as Armistice Day). He recited it for the small-town gathering every year until he left for college. He composed the melodies and lyrics for hundreds of songs, including "Songs from the Zoo," a compilation of children's animal-themed songs made into a 78 rpm record and sold at many zoos around the country in the 1950s. He gifted his wife a new song for each of their first ten wedding anniversaries. Until his death, he loved to recite passages from Shakespeare, Rudyard Kipling, Vachel Lindsay, and others from memory. His children and grandchildren all sing numerous songs he wrote and taught them for the Jewish holidays. With the help of his grandson, Gideon Fink Shapiro, of New York City, in 2012 he published a book of his poems, To Stretch a Heart.

Fink was among the founders of the ACLU of Indiana (formerly known as the Indiana Civil Liberties Union). He was also a founder of the Indiana Legal Services Organization. He is the former Vice President of the Indianapolis Bar Association, past President of the Indianapolis Children's Bureau, past President of the Jewish Community Relations Council, past President of the local chapter of the American Jewish Congress, past President of the Indianapolis Polio Foundation, and past President of the Indianapolis Lawyers' Commission.

Over the course of his illustrious career, Fink received the David Cook Award from the Jewish Welfare Federation, the Robert Risk Award from the Indianapolis branch of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, the Certificate of Merit from the Christian Theological Seminary, and the Brotherhood Award from the Brotherhood of Christians and Jews. In 2013, the Indiana State Bar Association awarded him the General Practice Hall of Fame Award 'in recognition of dedicated service to clients, community and legal profession."

Fink pursued an interest in sports as an avid tennis player, a fan who for many years had season tickets to the Butler Bulldogs basketball team, and a coach of youth, including his own sons. He was three times champion of the Indianapolis Bar Association doubles tennis tournament.

Fink had two older brothers, Stanley and Ben who predeceased him. His older sister, Gertrude Phillips, lives in Sun City, Arizona. In addition to Bea, his wife, a retired special educator for Indianapolis Public Schools, he leaves behind five children: Leon Fink (Susan Levine) in Chicago; Dale Fink (Betty Zimmerberg) in Williamstown, MA; Elaine Fink (Robert Shapiro) in Cincinnati, Hugh Fink in Los Angeles, and Laurel Fink (Larry Lingenfelser) in Indianapolis. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Anna, Simon, Gideon, Ben, Lilly, Jacob, Julia and Claire, and three great-grandchildren, Nina, Naila, and Julius.

Funeral services will be held at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, 6501 North Meridian Street, on Tuesday, April 7th at 11 AM. The family requests that contributions in his memory be made to the ACLU of Indiana.

Arrangements entrusted to Aaron Ruben Nelson Mortuary. Friends may leave a memory or message of condolence by visiting the online obituary at www.arnmortuary.com.

The family will be sitting shiva at the Fink Residence on Tuesday and Wednesday from 6 - 8 PM each evening.