Edward Pinkston

Obituary of Edward Pinkston Sr.Edward Pinkston: Builder of the American DreamAt 88 years old, Edward Pinkston embodied the American Dream. However, before he could achieve this dream, he had to be one of the millions that helped shape the idea of the modern American Dream before it even existed. Edward Pinkston spent his childhood during the worst depression in the history of the United States, only to come out of it by dedicating himself to the Second World War as a naval man in the deadly Pacific. History has kindly dubbed him, and the others who grew up with him, "The Greatest Generation," for not only their actions, but for the intense and numerous events that they have witnessed and experienced in their lifetime. Ed Pinkston was born in March of 1926 in Tampa, Florida, just a few years before the Roaring 20s would come to a rapid close with the Stock Market Crash in 1929. In retrospect, Tampa was fairly small in population compared to today, where much like the rest of Florida, has grown rapidly over the last few decades. The suburban sprawl of today was in the 1930s Pinkston's orange grove playground, who fortunately had a family that lucked out during the Great Depression. By no means were they unaffected, as everyone was at the time, they were just able to hold on to their jobs and stay out of the soup lines. His dad worked as a foreman that made cigar boxes from cedar wood at a local factory. His mom made money by working as a "paster," who glued together wedding décor with a simple mixture of flour and water. "I guess we were middleclass, we made 10 dollars a week, straight salary from the cigar factory," said Pinkston. Even so, his family still found ways to save money since it was tight. His family used a simple mechanism for survival which practices have almost gone extinct today. "Daddy used to go to Palm River to get mullet. He salted them in a barrel, and then we would store it and had something to eat all year long." This subsistence practice, along with hunting or having a small garden has all but gone extinct, placing more emphasis presently on buying food and depending on obtaining it through outside resources. "Bread was a nickel. Kerosene was nine cents a gallon. Gas: 19 a gallon. Sugar five pounds for a quarter. Coffee was nickel. Donuts: 39 cents for a dozen." As Pinkston vividly recalled prices during the depression he added, "For a nickel you could ride the streetcar all over Tampa.""But who had a nickel?"As the Great Depression carried on throughout the 30s, Pinkston carried on through school. He was attending Hillsborough High School and working at Western Union as a junior when he decided not to go to the 12th grade. Instead, he enlisted in the Navy when he was 17. Part of his reasoning for this, besides fighting for his country, was that, "If you went into the service they would give you your diploma when you got out of the service."Pinkston became a seaman on the U.S.S. Robert H Smith DM23, working in the radio control room, or as he calls "the radio shack." It was during this time in the Pacific many memories come afloat. The U.S.S Robert Smith was used to blow up mines found in the Pacific, making that ship a fairly huge risk alone. However, as Pinkston remembers "Before we went over seas, we went to SF, they demagnetized the whole ships so they wouldn't attract mines, and we went right over them," and humorously he adds, "I left my watch on the ship and it wasn't working when I got back."During his time in the Pacific, he was involved in some of the most pivotal battles in the Second World War, including Iwo Jima and Okinawa. During these battles the Japanese showed a reflux in the use of kamikaze tactics, and Pinkston remembers how they fought. He remembers at Okinawa, "They would come out of the sun for defense, the suicide planes. Our ship took down seven of those planes."It was also during the battle of Okinawa, which lasted from late March to June of 1945, where he heard of President Roosevelt's death. Since he was a radio operator he heard it come in code. The Chief Petty Officer then took it to the captain on the bridge and announced it on the PA system. After the dropping of the bomb and the surrender of Japan on August 10, 1945, Pinkston was finally able to go home. He tried to go back to work at Western Union as the night traffic manager, only to find that his job had been replaced by a woman who was sleeping with the day manager, who refused to give him back his job. So, Pinkston sued and won 8,000 dollars. Ironically, during this time, it was at Western Union that he met his future wife Jennie. Pinkston decided not to go back to Western Union after all, and through his status as "in-law" secured a job with a railroad company in Florida, with whom after 40 years, 6 months and 2 days, he retired as a conductor. Pinkston jokes, "I married my job, literally!"Edward Pinkston's life came full circle. Those who knew him can attest to his true giving and caring spirit. There are a great many homes, outbuildings, porches and add-ons that he built at no cost or obligation to the owner, doing it solely for people in need. His moments hard-headedness or unyielding was greatly overwhelmed by his generosity to others and his church. Retired Railroad and WWII Navy veteran, there aren't many like him left. Edward Roy Pinkston, 88, of Fort McCoy, passed away October 31, 2014 at his home surrounded by his loving family.He is survived by his sons, Roy, Lonnie (Barbara), Terry (Teri) and daughter Janice Jones (John), seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Helen Pinkston, his daughter-in-law Ruth Pinkston and his grandson Daniel Ryan Pinkston.Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., November 5, 2014, at Salt Springs Christian Church, 24571 E Hwy 316, Salt Springs, FL. Interment will follow at Fort McCoy Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service.In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hospice of Marion County.And this to the services tab:Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., November 5, 2014, at Salt Springs Christian Church, 24571 E Hwy 316, Salt Springs, FL. Interment will follow at Fort McCoy Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service.In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hospice of Marion County, PO Box 4860, Ocala, Florida, 34478

Edward Pinkston

December 31, 1969 - October 31, 2014