Colleen Patricia Finkle Obituary

Colleen Patricia Finkle
March 17, 1953 – February 12, 2026

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Colleen Patricia Finkle on February 12, 2026, as the result of a tragic fire in her family home. She was 72 years old.

Born on March 17, 1953, Colleen lived a life defined by compassion, dedication, and quiet strength. A Registered Nurse by profession, she devoted her career to caring for others, serving faithfully at the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) and Belleville General Hospital. She truly cherished her years as a community nurse, where she formed lasting bonds with her patients and their families. Colleen’s kindness, patience, and steady reassurance brought comfort to many during vulnerable moments. Nursing was more than a profession to her — it was a calling.

Beyond her work, Colleen found her greatest joy on the water. An avid and skilled sailor, she was a proud and active member of the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club. The rhythm of the wind in the sails and the quiet expanse of the bay brought her peace and happiness. She treasured early morning departures, sunlit afternoons on deck, and evenings watching the sky melt into the water at sunset. Sailing was not simply a pastime; it was where she felt most free.

Colleen was predeceased by her parents, William Ernest Finkle and Elizabeth Donaleen (Bremner) Finkle, and by her brothers William Alexander (Nancy), Alexander Edward Finkle (Marylee), Raymond Eugene Finkle, Donald Ernest Finkle (Gwen), and Paul Martin Finkle. May she rest in peace in heaven with her parents and siblings.

She is lovingly remembered by her sister Ann Kathleen Finkle (Don Carr) and by her twin sister and lifelong best friend, Kathleen Marie Finkle. She will be deeply missed by her twelve nieces and nephews and nineteen great-nieces and great-nephews, as well as extended family, friends, colleagues, and the many patients whose lives she touched.

Colleen’s legacy is one of compassion, strength, and deep love — for her family, her patients, and the open water. Like a well-sailed boat guided steadily home, she lived her life with grace and quiet determination.

Rest in peace sweet soul.

A Funeral Mass will be held later, and a Celebration of Life will be scheduled in the spring. Details will be shared once arrangements are finalized.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Belleville General Hospital, specifically the Dr. Douglas A. MacIntosh Cancer Clinic, or to Hospice Quinte in Colleen’s memory.