Martin Finke

Martin Finke of Wheaton passed away Friday evening at the Veterans Hospital in Fargo. Martin was 88 years old. Funeral Services for Martin Finke will be held Wednesday, Nov. 5th at 11:00 AM at the St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton with Rev. Charles Horkey officiating. Visitation will be held Tuesday evening at the Ranney Funeral Chapel in Wheaton from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Burial will be at Wildwood Cemetery in Wheaton. Martin LuVerne Finke was born August 31, 1920 to Edward and Amelia (Weick) Finke at Walls Township, Traverse County, Minnesota. Martin grew up on the farm near Dumont and was baptized in the Lutheran Faith and later confirmed at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Dumont. He later, with his family, moved to a farm near Wheaton. He attended Country School until the age of 15. He then began working as a baker in Wheaton and worked there for many years. Marty married Mabel Margaret Hills on August 24, 1940 in Browns Valley, Minnesota. Martin joined the Navy to work construction up in Alaska, but ended up on a ship going to Maui, Hawaii. He worked as a baker while the Airbase was being built there. Marty and Mable at one time owned and operated a Bakery in Milbank, South Dakota. They later moved to Bemidji, Minnesota where Martin worked as a Baker. Mabel became a second mother to 2 small boys that became a big part of their lives. They moved back to Wheaton in 1993 after retirement. Marty enjoyed gardening and wine making. Rhubarb wine was his favorite. He spent many hours with family and friends fishing and hunting. He was a charter member of the VFW Post 5909. Martin is survived by 2 brothers: Traverse (Algy) Finke of Marble, MN and Francis Finke of Wheaton, also 3 sisters: Bernita Shuller and Fern Zabell, both of Wheaton and Gwendolyn (Arnold) Zockert of Pipestone, MN, many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Mabel who died in 2004, brothers: Henry, Edward, and Lyle, and sisters: Mary, Violet, Caroline, and Hazel.

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