The Fink Family
The storm clouds of World War I in Europe convinced John Fink that his family would be safer across the Atlantic in the United States. They finally settled in Issaquah.
Fink was born in Austria in 1887 and first came to this country in 1903. He returned to what is today Yugoslavia in 1911, married Mary Fink and returned to America in 1913.
The family-John, Mary, Emily (Fink) Camron and Olga (Fink) Goben-originally settled in Taylor, Washington, a small coal mining town near present-day Hobart, south of Issaquah.
In 1922, the family moved to Issaquah and John eventually built and operated “Fink’s Garage” in the same building that is, today, Busch Collision at 290 E. Sunset Way. John later opened the Chevrolet dealership in Issaquah which he later sold to Ted Stonebridge in 1947. He also built two family homes that still stand today, one at 260 E. Sunset Way and the other at 295 NE Alder.
Due mainly to the shortage of manpower in World War II, Emily served as a grease-monkey and auto mechanic through the duration. When Emily married after the war, Olga followed in her footsteps.
Olga and Emily still live in town.
