Donna Jane (Emberson) Fink died peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at her home in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Her death came as a result of complications of scleroderma.
Donna was a resident of La Crosse and a longtime summer resident of Hungry Jack Lake.
She was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 30, 1943. Donna’s childhood was spent in Western Springs, Illinois, Elm Grove, Wisconsin, and Naperville, Illinois. She was educated in the public school systems of those cities.
She attended college at North Central College in Naperville, graduating in 1965. She was awarded a Masters of Education degree from Louisiana State University of New Orleans (now University of New Orleans) in 1968.
While in college at North Central she met her future husband, Richard Alan Fink. They were married on June 5, 1965.
The Fink family had a cabin on Hungry Jack Lake and Donna made her first trip to the area in 1964. She never missed a summer thereafter with the exception of the past couple of years when her illness made it impossible for her to travel. Donna loved to hike and to canoe, and the beauty of the area drew her back to the Gunflint Trail year after year. In the process, she made many friends in the area.
Donna is survived by her husband, by her two sons, Stephen (Mary Kroner) of La Grange, Illinois and Gregory (Kim Monti) of La Crosse and by grandchildren Miles and Malia of La Grange and Tristan and Madeline of La Crosse. All are enthusiastic, regular visitors to Hungry Jack Lake.
Memorials may be given to the Gunflint Trail Historical Society or to Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
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