Visitation was Friday, June 20, 2025, at Peterson Mortuary, 212 S. Locust Street, Glenwood.
Celebration of Life was Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Keg Creek Brewery, 17 N. Vine Street, Glenwood.
Russell Ellis “Rusty” Finken died on Father’s Day, June 15, 2025, at age 75 in Council Bluffs. He was born Aug. 24, 1949, in Council Bluffs, to Carmen and Ellis Finken. His mother died when Russ was only four and he was raised by his maternal grandparents, Jonas and Esta Jackson, in Logan.
His family owned Mars Café in Missouri Valley, where Russ did a little of everything. He graduated from Logan-Magnolia High School in 1967 and earned his teaching degree from Dana College in Blair, Nebraska.
Russ was a longtime elementary and junior high school teacher in Glenwood. After more than two decades in the classroom, he earned his master’s degree from Creighton University and his education specialist degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He spent the remainder of his career as a school administrator in Iowa and Nebraska, most notably as principal of Glenwood Middle School and superintendent of Nishna Valley, Iowa and Tri-County, Nebraska schools.
Russ was a longtime high school football and basketball official in Iowa. For 25 summers, he co-managed the Davies Amphitheater in Glenwood with his wife, Sybil. His favorite acts included Pam and the Pearls, the Martin Family, and Britt Small and Festival.
As a loyal American Red Cross blood donor, he gave more than 50 gallons of blood and platelets over more than 35 years. He was a passionate advocate for the Glenwood Resource Center, where his son Seth has lived for 40 years.
Russ was an avid Husker football and Creighton basketball fan. He loved going to Jays games with lifelong friends from Logan and had season tickets right behind the visitors bench. He loved clean cars and golden oldies music. And he loved his family most of all.
He is survived by sons, Zach (Deb), Luke (Kathleen Fitzsimmons) and Seth; daughter, Carmen (Andrew DeFrancisci); their mother, Sybil; grandchildren, Jackson, Mae and Cleo; and many friends.
Donations can be made to: The Voice of Reason (vor.net), the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association and the Leadville Irish Miners’ Memorial.
Per his wishes, his body was donated to the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
