Gerald George Fintak

SUN CITY - Gerald George "Jerry" Fintak, a resident of Sun City since 1983, died on Aug. 13, 2011, at the age of 93. He was born on May 27, 1918, in Waukesha, Wis., to Felix and May (Mary Marschak) Fintak. Jerry graduated from the University of Wisconsin in June of 1941 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering. He had earlier been inducted into the Chi Epsilon Engineering Honor Society in 1940. Jerry served 3 1/2 years in the United States Army as an aviation engineer during World War II in the European Theater. He attained the rank of Captain. After the war he worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority as a hydrological engineer. Most of his years of employment was spent with Allis Chalmers Co. serving as sales representative and senior project manager in the Hydraulic Turbine Division. After retiring in 1982 in York, Pa., Jerry and his wife Dorothy moved to Sun City. During his career years, Jerry was very active in Boy Scouts of America serving as a troop leader in Wisconsin and District and Regional Commissioner in Pennsylvania. In Sun City, he continued volunteering by driving the American Red Cross van, serving meals to the homeless and cookie banking through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's, and ushering at St. Elizabeth Seton Church where he also served as a Bingo caller for many years. He was a member of the Wisconsin Badger Men's Club, The Sun City Ambassadors, Passport Club, the Engineer's Club of West Valley, St. Elizabeth Seton Men's Club and Council 12144, and the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed world travel, stamp collecting and photography. He was preceded in death by Dorothy (Binder), his wife of 57 years, who passed away in 1999; and his brother, Edmond of Birmingham, Mich. He is survived by his children, Judith Davis of Greenbelt, Md., James Fintak of Cucamonga, Calif., Deborah Fintak of Shanghai, China, and May Jo Smith and her husband Arthur of Camp Hill, Pa. Jerry also has two granddaughters, Felice and Jessica, of whom he was very proud. Also surviving is his sister, Mary Murphy of Elkhart, Ind.; and a very dear friend, Ruth Barton of Sun City. Visitation was held at Sunland Mortuary on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011, from 2 to 4 p.m. Funeral Mass was held at St. Clements of Rome Catholic Church on Friday, Aug. 26, 2011, at 8:30 a.m. Inurnment at Sunland Memorial Park took place with Military Honors on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. Memorial contributions in memory of Jerry are requested to be made to the American Cancer Society (800-227-2345). The family asks that acknowledgements of the contributions be mailed to the Fintak Family at 7728 Hanover Pkwy Apt. 302, Greenbelt, MD 20770. Sunland Memorial Park and Mortuary was entrusted with Jerry's care. Please leave online condolence messages for the Fintak family at www.sunlandmemorial.com.