Kenneth Fink, owner of Waite Furniture in Thornburg, and former McDonald's and Marriott Corp. executive and restauranteur, died Saturday, April 21, 2001, at the furniture store. He and his wife, Alicia Fink, bought the business in Thornburg in 1992. Mr. Fink grew up in Arlington and attended Virginia Tech, where he obtained a business degree.

After working for the federal government in the early 1960s, his career in the restaurant business began with McDonald's Corp. in Washington in 1965. In 1969, he was promoted to regional vice president and at 28, was the youngest executive with the company. He then went to work for Marriott Corp. to start up the Roy Rogers division. He moved up through the ranks from 1971 to 1984, becoming vice president for marketing, company operations and franchising.

He left Marriott in 1984 and bought the franchise rights to the Fredericksburg region. The restaurants included six area locations.

He received the Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award in 1989, as owner of Fink Restaurants. He was a member of the Lions Club; Virginia Tech Hokie Club; Fredericksburg Regional Chamer of Commerce, and attended St. George's Episcopal Church. He supported Big Brothers-Big Sisters; Fredericksburg Area Museum; George Washington's Fredericksburg Foundation; Hospice Support Care; the Eagles Club; Spotsylvania Rescue Squad; Fredericksburg Academy and the March of Dimes.

Besides his wife, he is survived by four daughters, Lisa Olsson of Stockholm, Sweden, Cathy Stewart of Fredericksburg, Ginny Siebers-Fink and Vicki Fink, both of Richmond; his father, Kenneth E. Fink of Richmond; a sister, Bonnie Markwood of Southport, N.C.; a brother, Douglas Fink of Gaithersburg, MD; and five grandchildren.