Gertrude Finke (pictured right) of Maple Grove, Minnesota, a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer, died Jan. 23. She was 94.
Finke dedicated her life to the sport of bowling, spending much of that time making it special and memorable for others. Her hard work earned her a spot in the Meritorious Service category of the USBC Hall of Fame in 1990.
Among her proudest accomplishments was five decades of organizing teams for the USBC Women’s Championships, and she is responsible for thousands of Minnesota bowlers getting the chance to participate on the biggest stage in women’s bowling. When the tournament visited Minneapolis in 1964, she was the local association chairperson.
She participated in the Women’s Championships 54 times, with her last appearance coming in 2007.
Finke served bowling at the local, state and national levels, beginning with the Minneapolis Women’s Bowling Association in 1949. She logged nearly 30 years in a variety of roles for the Minneapolis WBA and Minnesota WBA and contributed to multiple committees at the national level.
Also a member of the Minneapolis and Minnesota State Halls of Fame, Finke was focused on the future of the sport and was instrumental in organizing Minnesota’s first American Junior Bowling Congress state tournament and the Minnesota Young American Bowling Alliance.
A funeral Mass in celebration of Finke’s life will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Church of St. Bridget in Minneapolis. Visitation will be one hour prior to the Mass at the church. Memorials are preferred to the Church of St. Bridget or Bowlers to Veterans Link (BVL).
