Jeffrey and Ernest Fink

April 28, 1966 – October 2, 2026

Jeffrey Steven Fink passed away on October 2, 2026, at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Queens, after a long and difficult year following his stroke. Jeff was 60 years old.

Jeff was a quiet man, but those who knew him well knew there was much beneath that quiet nature. He loved his family, his friends, his heritage, his travels, good music, and, of course, a good German beer shared with friends.

Jeff was extremely proud of his Gottscheer and German heritage. Alongside his father, Alfred, he was a member of Blau Weiss Gottschee, and later in life he joined the Gottscheer Krankenunterstützungs Verein. Jeff was proud to be a Past Master of Schiller Lodge No.304 of the Free and Accepted Masons of the Ninth Manhattan District of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He took great pride in being a Mason and wouldn’t leave the house without his Mason ring. These organizations and the people he met through them became an important part of his life.

You could often find Jeff at Gottscheer Hall or Zum Stammtisch, sitting with friends and enjoying a German beer. He may not have been the loudest person in the room, but he enjoyed being there, surrounded by people he cared about. He especially looked forward to the weekends he spent working with Die Schlauberger, listening to their music and enjoying the friendships and camaraderie that came along with it.

Jeff was a hard worker throughout his life. He worked as a butcher at Schaller & Weber and at Hans' Gasthaus in Glendale. He later became a Station Agent for New York City Transit, a job he held until a stroke on October 29, 2025, changed the course of his life.

One of Jeff's greatest joys was traveling. He especially loved traveling to Germany and Austria to visit his relatives and experience the places that connected him to his heritage. Of all the places he visited, none meant more to him than Kehlsteinhaus, the Eagle's Nest, in Obersalzburg. Jeff considered it his favorite place on earth and returned there often. Those trips and those memories were a very special part of his life.

The year following Jeff's stroke was incredibly difficult. He was transferred to Helen Hayes Hospital, about an hour from home, for physical, occupational and speech therapy, where he did quite well under their care. In January, he was hospitalized with his first bout of pneumonia. In March, he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility closer to home.

Because of the swallowing difficulties caused by his stroke, Jeff became susceptible to repeated bouts of pneumonia. He was hospitalized three more times, and ultimately his final illness became too much for his body to overcome.

Through all of this, Linda was there.

Jeff's partner and the love of his life, Linda Tscherne, never left his side. When Jeff was at Helen Hayes, Linda stayed at a nearby hotel for his entire stay, so she could be with him every day. Through every hospitalization, every setback, every difficult day and every uncertain moment, Linda stayed beside Jeff and made sure he was never alone.

Her love and devotion were a constant presence during the hardest year of his life. Jeff was fortunate to have someone who loved him so deeply, and Linda was fortunate to be loved by Jeff and to have shared so many years and memories with him.

Jeff is survived by Linda; his father, Alfred Fink; and his brother, Edmund Fink. He was preceded in death by his mother, Hildegard Fink (nee Immel), and, heartbreakingly, by his brother Ernie Fink, who passed away on the very morning that Jeff did.

Jeff leaves behind a family and many friends who will miss his quiet presence, his familiar smile, his love of German traditions, his stories of his travels, and the simple pleasure he found in sitting with friends over a beer.

He will be remembered whenever German music is playing, whenever friends gather at Gottscheer Hall or Zum Stammtisch, whenever someone talks about Germany or Austria, and especially whenever someone looks out over the mountains of Obersalzburg and thinks of the place Jeff loved so much.

Rest peacefully, Jeff. You were loved, you were cared for, and you will be deeply missed.

Visitation will be held at Werst & LaBella Funeral Home, 71-41 Cooper Ave, Glendale, NY 11385, US, on October 7, 2026, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and again on October 7, 2026, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will take place at All Souls Crematory, 72-02 Astoria Blvd S, East Elmhurst, NY 11370, on October 8, 2026, from 11:00 am to 11:30 am.