Bernice A. Fink

Bernice Fink, daughter of Charles J. Florin and Marie Louise Florin, passed away at home in Edgewater, Florida, on October 1, 2024 at the age of 85. In her own words:

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[I am] first generation born in the USA. Dad [was] born in France, Mom [was] born in Belgium but brought here when [she was] only 2 months old. ([They] sailed to the US on the day that the Titanic sank.) Mom and Dad both worked in the textile mills. We moved from Lawrence [Massachusetts] to a new house on Railroad Ave in North Andover across from the Thomson School when I was 4; my brother Charles was born 3 years later.

I attended the Union School through Grade 4 and the Thomson School through Grade 8. While at Johnson High, the textile mills began moving south so my Dad and Uncle went to Florida with plans to build efficiency apartments. However, they returned to buy out a friend's ornamental concrete business and we moved to Hillside Rd.

Following NAHS graduation, Mom and I sailed to Europe and visited relatives in both France and Belgium. We heard stories of living through WWII. ([A]nother ocean liner, the Andrea Doria , sank before our return.)

I entered MIT in the fall of 1956 to study architecture; after 2 years I changed my major to Math. I worked 2 summers doing drafting at Raytheon where I met Henry who grew up in Methuen. My third summer I worked at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital as a secretary to a young surgeon who was doing the first ever kidney transplants.

I was hired out of college in 1960 by Bell Labs in North Andover to develop software tools for electrical engineering design. I spent much of my first summer in New York City rewriting a tool to work on a new IBM computer platform.

Henry and I married in 1961 and moved to a mobile home on Summer St in Salem, NH. I attended night school and later "co-op"ed at Northeastern University to earn an MSEE degree. After interning in Bell Labs' radio lab where I developed a tool to assist in IC design, I was the first woman to be promoted to technical supervisor. My Bell Labs work enabled me to learn cultures and make friends with people from throughout the world.

When my Uncle decided to retire, Henry and I bought out his share of the ornamental concrete business and house and moved back to Hillside Rd. We later bought out my Dad's share and my parents moved to Florida. A few years later we bought land at Turnpike and Johnson Sts and Henry built the building that [served] as our home.

I gave birth to daughter Cheryl in 1971 and son Henry in 1975, taking only brief recesses from my Bell Labs work; I negotiated a flexible work schedule to accommodate their care. We bought an Airstream trailer in 1978 and joined WBCCI, the Airstream owners club. While our children were growing, we enjoyed weekend rallies in New England and vacation travels to and from annual international rallies in the US and Canada.

When Cheryl reached college age, I refused an early retirement offer and transferred out of the Bell Labs Computing organization into the Secure Technologies organization. There I developed hypertexting tools to address NSA secure phone documentation requirements. I also assumed and developed procedures for fulfilling Facility Security Officer duties (personnel clearances and protecting classified materials).

In 1995, I was [told I had a colon tumor]. After moving Henry back to college, I underwent surgery to remove a portion of my colon ([and] now have a semi-colon). Fortunately, pathology showed the tumor to be benign and the only lingering effect has been my daily walk and attempts at improving diet in hopes of preventing a recurrence.

Following Dad's death in 1997, I retired and made frequent trips to Florida to help my brother Charles with Mom's finances and at-home care until her death in 2000. As co-executors, Charles and I probated Mom's will.

Having attended many board meetings in North Andover, I was appointed to the Finance Committee in 2000 and served through June 2005. Through my inquiring nature and with access to information, I learned a lot about Massachusetts government and politics (at times more than I feel I'd like to know). Seeking to spread the knowledge, I've encouraged more open disclosure of town finances and meetings.

My ongoing health challenge has been my eyes. I occasionally suffer from eye infections (caused by allergies?). I scarred my corneas and developed keratoconus by wearing hard contact lenses which may also contribute. But I've been blessed with lens implants from cataract surgery that provide me better distance vision than I was born with.

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Continuing her story…

In 2007, Bernice suffered the first of many eventual strokes and TIAs that would occur over the following years. These would slowly and progressively affect her both physically and mentally.

She moved with her son, Henry, to Edgewater FL in 2019 and to the home of her late parents, then home to her daughter, Cheryl.

Eventually, she was diagnosed with vascular dementia and became less interested in activities that once brought her joy. Her husband, Henry, died in 2023.

She leaves behind her son, Henry Fink, of Edgewater, FL; daughter, Cheryl Fink, of Edgewater, FL; and brother, Charles Florin, of Winter Springs, FL.

Bernice is the smartest, most selfless, loving, nicest, kindest, and awe-inspiring person. Her beautiful eyes, smile, and voice make it impossible to be unhappy around her.

Never one to complain, she always had a smile on her face. She would often recite the poem beginning, "Somebody said that it couldn't be done." Memories of her positive thinking and optimistic spirit will live on forever.

Words cannot express how much she is loved and profoundly missed.