Katherine Massingill Fink

Katherine Lilla Massingill Fink, 90, of Carrollton, Texas, passed away peacefully in her daughter’s home on June 1, 2022. Born in Houston, Texas, on September 23, 1931, to Alvin Roderick Massingill and Darris Thelma (Jennings) Massingill, both teachers, she was the youngest of three siblings by eight years. Growing up in the midst of the Great Depression with an unemployed and disabled father, she spent her childhood happily helping the family find resourceful ways to get by in the city.

Katherine’s life changed forever when at age 14 she rode the train from Houston to New York alone to spend the summer with her brother, his wife and their newborn daughter. They introduced her to their church youth group and to Jesus Christ. She clearly recalls the night that she wrestled with the decision whether to follow Christ and how the next morning dawned with faith and the whole world was somehow different and more beautiful. She knew she was loved by God Himself.

Katherine graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in Houston when she was 16 years old then attended Austin College in Sherman for two years on scholarship for Biblical studies (including Greek) followed by a semester at the University of Texas.

At a weekend camp at Mo Ranch, Kathy met Charles Fink, whom she married on December 8, 1950. After Charles was drafted into the Army, Kathy spent two delightful years with him in California. After the Army they returned to Houston then moved to Oklahoma City and Beaumont before settling in Farmers Branch in 1962 with their two children. In 1964 they joined First Methodist of Carrollton, and in 1967 Kathy became the sole bread-winner as Charles’ daily migraine headaches prevented him from further full-time work. She worked various secretarial jobs including a stint of self-employment before her most notable positions as executive secretary at Overhead Door Corporation and BAE Automated Systems.

After retiring in 1996, she enjoyed travel, particularly to Israel, Europe and Hawaii. She completed her Bible degree at Dallas Christian College and had the distinction of graduating top of her class as well as oldest graduate at age 69 in 2001. She put her degree to good use as a Sunday School teacher at First Methodist and later at Christ Methodist in Farmers Branch, where the pastor asked her to create a new class, the Branches Class, which she led for eight years.

At age 80, Kathy and Charlie moved to Lakeview at Josey Ranch, which she described as four of the best years of her life living in close proximity to friends. As needs increased, she moved to Windsor Sr. Living in Dallas and Briarview Sr. Living in Carrollton, where she blessed many with her piano playing, grace and smiles.

Katherine was a devoted caregiver and loving wife, mother and grandmother and was always interested in learning, in enjoying God’s creation beauty, in reading and writing, rooting on her favorite teams and encouraging everyone around her. The joy and gratitude arising from her faith are hallmarks of her life.

She is survived by her son, Lawrence Fink and wife Sally, of Renton, WA, her daughter, Shirley Grigsby and husband Scott, of Carrollton, TX, grandchildren Sarah Ignacio, Daniel Fink, Laura Taylor, Brad Grigsby and Bethany McCrory and spouses, and fifteen beautiful great-grandchildren Jesse, Kaelee, Ethan, Eliza, Glynn, Patrick, Joshua, Nathanael, Landon, Levi, Elle, Evelyn, Caleb, Eden and Lily (due in September). Preceding her in death were her parents, husband Charles, brother Jennings Massingill and sister Thelma Dowling.

Visitation and Funeral will be held on Friday, June 24, 2022 at:

First Methodist Church of Carrollton

2201 E Hebron Pkwy

Carrollton, TX 75010

Visitation begins at 9:00 a.m. and the funeral service at 10:30.

Burial service will be held on Friday, June 24, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.:

Restland Cemetery Garden of the Trinity (south side of Restland Rd)

13005 Greenville Ave

Dallas, TX 75243

Flowers can be ordered from: Bloomfield Floral (owner, Rhonda, is a personal friend), 2430 S I-35E, Suite 152, Denton, TX 76205, phone 940-566-1963, https://bloomfieldfloral.com; please call for special arrangements and delivery

Livestream of service (including archive): https://youtu.be/thTvkIiWnE0

Slide show (on Dropbox): https://www.dropbox.com/s/r59icswwewxw91i/KathyFinkSlideshow.mp4?dl=0

Mountain Memories musical slide show written and narrated by Katherine: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tf0visxo1pz8xmj/Kathy_Fink-MtnMemories2-5min31sec.mp4?dl=0

Donations in Katherine’s memory may be given to First Methodist Church and designated for Missions where the funds will be used to support mission work in Merida, MX being headed by the son of church friends.

Poems by Katherine Fink

LANGUAGE OF THE HEART

We know not the years we’ll share

In this life on earth.

We cannot foresee the joy or tears,

Or what each day is worth.

But, oh, the love that is ours to tap,

This we know full well –

Unseen, unheard, but told so clear

As only two hearts can tell

©1993 Katherine M. Fink

HOLY ANTITHESIS

Cold the night that He was born,

Warm, the love He gives.

Dark the day that brought His death,

Bright our hope – He lives!

©1993 Katherine M. Fink

A TIME TO GO

By Katherine M. Fink (2007)

I saw wild geese today,

pinions pulling onward.

Onward to where, to what?

and why?

An imprint of the ages

dictates their destiny . . .

They just know

it’s time to go.

In harvest’s golden glow,

testing wings in circling flight,

What bade them leave their paradise

for distant shores –

To leave the known

for the unknown?

They only know

it’s time to go.

Their haunting calls in the night

course their flight toward a siren song

somewhere in yonder darkness.

I, too, hear the song

as they soar unfettered

delivered from bonds of earth.

It awakens in my spirit

a longing to be thus free.

I join them today

the wild geese in flight.

They fly to their destiny,

I to mine . . .

I just know it’s time to go.