Ruth Fink

RUTH GARVEY COCHENER FINK Ruth Garvey Cochener Fink, 90, Topeka, former President and Director of C-G-F Grain Company, Mid-West Industries Corp., CGF Industries, Inc. and Freedom Family LC, died Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at a Topeka hospital. She was born April 26, 1917 in Colby, Kansas to Ray H. and Olive White Garvey. She attended Wichita University, received a BA from the University of Illinois and SP from the University of Kansas. She was a managing partner for C and G Grain Company from 1954-55; President of C-G-F Grain Company, Inc. 1955-83; President of Mid-West Industries 1972-83; President of CGF Industries, Inc. 1983-97; President of Freedom Family LC from 1997-present. She was a member of the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ, Topeka Country Club, and Alexandria, Minnesota Country Club. Mrs. Fink was a member of the Delta Gamma Chapter at KU; during WWII, she served as a nurses aid for the American Red Cross in New York and Philadelphia; she has been an advisory board member for Washburn University Delta Gamma Chapter; she was a Roll of Honor National Society Member of the Colonial Dames of America; she was on the Board of Regents for Gunston Hall, Lorton, VA.; 1983-2000 she was a Trustee for the Hoover Presidential Library. She was the Business Woman of the Year, Sales and Marketing Executives of Topeka at the Women’s Business Conference in 1997. She was an early financial supporter of Topeka Collegiate School. In 1998, she established the American Citizenship Project/Bill of Rights/George Mason. In 1999, she received the Topeka Community Foundation Individual Philanthropy Award. In 2002, she received the Northeast Kansas Leadership Award from Washburn University. In 2003, she was inducted into the Topeka Business Hall of Fame, Junior Achievement of Northeast Kansas. In 2004, she received the Distinguished Kansan Award at the annual Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas banquet. She also received the Rotary Club of Topeka Paul Harris Fellow Award and was a Kansas elector for the Electoral College. She was active in Republican Party affairs and assisted her husband, who was the Treasurer of the Reagan for President Campaign in 1975. She received numerous other awards and recognitions of her accomplishments through the years. Mrs. Fink received an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Washburn University in 1981. Her family had a tradition of support for Washburn University including her Father, Ray Hugh Garvey, JD ’15 and Honorary Doctorate ’58; Mother, Olive White Garvey, BA’14 and Honorary Doctorate ’63 and Uncle Elliot White BA ’24. She served as a Trustee for the Washburn Endowment Association since 1960; was a member of the Tornado Construction Committee 1966-68; member of the Executive Committee and only Chair of the Bible Committee. As Chair of the Bible Committee, she led the efforts to publish the Washburn College Bible designed by Washburn Alumnus, Bradbury Thompson, and placed it in depositories around the world. These and others efforts resulted in the construction of the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center and, when opened in 1996, the Ruth Garvey Fink Convocation Hall was dedicated in her honor. Mrs. Fink, along with her family, for decades supported nearly every major project at Washburn. She established the Garvey Competitive Scholarship and the Fifty Charitable Trusts, which includes five scholarships receiving funds from her Mother’s estate. Ruth, along with her sister, gave the lead gift for the renovation of White Concert Hall. The Garvey family donated one of the largest gifts in Washburn’s history for the Garvey Fine Arts Center. Recently, she provided significant support for the Dr. Jerry B. and Susan Farley Endowed Chair in Leadership. She married Richard L. Cochener in February, 1941. He died in 1954. She married H. Bernerd Fink in 1955. He died in 1999. Survivors include Diana C. Broze (Jay); Seattle, WA; Caroline C. Bonesteel (Jim), Aspen, CO; Bruce G. Cochener (Nancy), Wichita, KS; Marcia F. Anderson (Bob), Salina, KS and Elizabeth F. Farnsworth (Charles), Berkeley, CA., 13 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews. A celebration of Ruth’s life with family and friends will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 22, 2007, at White Concert Hall on the Washburn University Campus. Inurnment will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to The Salvation Army, P.O. 599, Topeka, Kansas 66601 or to the Dr. Jerry B. & Susan Farley Endowed Chair in Leadership or Washburn College Bible Fund, in care of Washburn Endowment Association, Washburn University, Topeka, KS 66621. Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.

Ruth Fink

April 26, 1917 - September 18, 2007