Beatrice Finkel

On the morning of Sunday, August 2, 2015 at 7:00 a.m., Beatrice Finkel, a confident, quiet and witty woman who spent her life in service to her country, passed away due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Bea was being visited and comforted by family members at the Morningside Adult Family Home in Seattle, WA at the time of passing.

Beatrice was born on August 11, 1933 in Akron, OH, first born daughter of Benjamin Finkel and Betty Koplin. She was a 1951 Cuyahoga Falls High School graduate. She earned a B.A. in Psychology at Purdue University, 1955, before beginning her long career with the Central Intelligence Agency. She traveled the world and spent many years abroad, primarily in the Far East. She especially loved Hong Kong and Bangkok, Thailand, and surrounded herself with many fine Asian art collections. Despite being stationed in far off places, Bea always made time to visit her family in Ohio, bearing unique and unusual gifts.

Upon her retirement with multiple service awards from the CIA, she maintained a simple lifestyle in McLean, VA and belonged to the sisterhood at the Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, VA, kept busy volunteering in the community and attending the symphony and theater with friends. She also spent many years in the White House as a correspondence volunteer, sending cards and letters to U.S. citizens. She showed an early commitment to helping the environment and was an avid recycler before it became commonplace.

Beatrice was preceded in death by her father, Benjamin Finkel and her mother, Betty Koplin Finkel.

Beatrice is survived by her sister, Irene Finkel Ingram and brother-in-law, Jim Ingram in Tallmadge, OH and one niece and three nephews, and six grand nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to the loving caregivers at the Morningside Adult Family Home, who helped make her passing on to Olam Ha-ba peaceful. Also, thanks to her caring friends at Chesterbrook Residences, Falls Church, VA, where a community room is named after her parents for her generosity.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: The Temple Rodef Shalom, 2100 Westmoreland St., Falls Church, VA 22043 and The Alzheimer’s Association, PO Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 5, 2015 at 1:45 pm at the King David Cemetery, Falls Church, VA. Bea was loving, humorous and strongly dedicated to her country. She will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

Arrangements under the direction of National Funeral Home, Falls Church, VA.