Ed Fink

Ed Fink, who rose through the ranks from social studies teacher to superintendent during his 43 years at Butler Area School District, is remembered by many since his death at age 73 on Monday.

Tom King, a managing partner at Dillon McCandless King Coulter and Graham in Butler, worked with Fink for many years while King served as the school district's solicitor and Fink as superintendent.

“He was a fine man and a wonderful family man,” King said. “He had the best interests of the district at heart in every decision he made.”

He said many qualities made Fink a great superintendent.

“He was very bright, a good listener,” King said. “He always tried to bring the different sides on an issue together to do something positive for the Butler Area School District.”

He said Fink was involved in the weekend backpack program in the district, in which at-risk students are given food items to take home on Friday to sustain them until Monday morning when they return to school.

King said Fink remained involved even after his retirement in May 2012.

“He was involved in many community organizations, but he never sought publicity or fame,” King said. “He simply was a very dedicated human being who tried to improve his school district.”

King said the community will miss Fink.

“He was truly an exemplary leader and someone we all looked up to while we were working with him,” he said.

John Conrad has served on the school board for almost 17 years, six or eight of those alongside Fink as superintendent.

“He was the kind of guy I would love to have as a next-door neighbor, because, to me, he was just one of those people who was willing to work with you if you had any issues,” Conrad said. “He was very diplomatic.”

Conrad, who was Fink's student in 10th grade social studies class at Butler, called him “tough, but fair” as a teacher.

“He always had a very interesting sense of humor,” he said.

Conrad said among Fink's accomplishments as superintendent was the renovation of all the school buildings in the district.

“A lot of the buildings were in rough shape, and he worked on them, one at a time, to try and spread the cost out for the taxpayers,” he said.

Jerry Slamecka, a former Butler Area teacher who retired six years ago as an assistant superintendent, worked side-by-side with Fink for many years.

Slamecka served on various scholastic foundations with Fink and recalled Fink's success in settling teachers' contracts as superintendent.

According to past articles in the Butler Eagle, Fink joined the district as a student teacher for senior high social studies in September 1968.

He was hired as a social studies teacher one year later, and taught that subject through December 1977.

Upon the advice of his mentor, Butler High principal Stanley Sawa, he entered the world of school administration in 1978 as an assistant principal at the intermediate high school and worked his way up to superintendent.

Slamecka summed up the thoughts of all the students, teachers, staff and school board members who interacted with Ed Fink in the Butler Area School District.

“I think he was always fair and honest with people and always had what's right for the kids in mind,” Slamecka said.

For his obituary, see Page B6.