Keith’s Obituary On the morning of March 21, 2019 the life of the party followed the path set out for him to the eternal celestial party. Keith A. Finkle was born on June 2, 1930 to Charles and Johanna Finkle in Bismarck, North Dakota. The family lived in several communities in Minnesota and North Dakota before settling in Beach, North Dakota where Keith graduated from Beach High School in 1948.
He married his high school sweetheart, Virginia, on February 11, 1951 and then followed Uncle Sam’s orders to Fairbanks, Alaska to serve two years in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. Keith and Ginny returned to Beach and enjoyed life there with many friends and lots of extended family until they relocated the family to Mesa, Arizona in 1967. Keith inherited his father’s gift of continually finding new career challenges and locales.
His friends often teased him about an erasure tear in their address books from the many address changes! Keith’s warm, accepting and entertaining ways gained him the respect, friendship and love of many everywhere he and Ginny landed. During his early ‘retirement’ years Keith enjoyed returning to the fields around Beach for several years to help with spring’s work and harvest as well as spending several seasons working in Yellowstone National Park.
In September of 2016 Keith and Ginny left Livingston, Montana to return to Arizona so they would have the support of their children as Keith’s journey with dementia became more difficult. Keith is survived by his wife, Ginny, and children; Raymond (Susie) and children Emily Thomas (Eric), Robby Finkle, Kate Ordway (Brandon), Maria McDonald (Mike) and Danny Attebery; Mary Jo and son Jeremy (Rebekah) and Gerry (Joy) and sons David Finkle and Jeremy Baker as well as many great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters Wanda Hoeck and Marilyn Rees along with numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Johanna, two sisters, Carol and Alice Joyce and his brother Charles, his grandson Dennis Attebery, as well as his father and mother in law, Raymond and Mary Noyes. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, April 7, 2 PM at King of Glory Lutheran Church, 2085 E. Southern Ave Tempe, AZ 85282 where Keith and the family were charter members. There will be a reception following the service in the KOG Center.
If you would like to give a memorial in Keith’s name we would suggest: Hospice of the Valley, hov.org, Dementia Friendly Tempe, tempe.gov, or the Ruud Memorial Fund at King of Glory. Arrangements entrusted to Tempe Mortuary.
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