Nicholas Anthony Pinkala

Nicholas Anthony Pinkala, a lifetime resident of Port Jervis, N.Y., died Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, at St. Joseph's Place, Port Jervis. He was 88.
Son of the late Anthony Pinkala and the late Mary Dudko Pinkala, he was born March 16, 1928 in Port Jervis.
He proudly served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army as a Criminal Investigation Agent in Japan during the Occupation. He later re-enlisted and served during the Korean War for four additional years as a Military Police Investigator in Japan. He was a life member and past Commander of the Rosa Fleming VFW Post #161 Port Jervis and also a life member of DAV, Disabled American Veterans.
He married Tomiko F. Homma, who was his interpreter in 1953 at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. They were married a second time in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Port Jervis in 1954.
He was a member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, where he was baptized, received his first communion, had his confirmation, and was married.
He worked as the plant manager for Kolmar Labs in Port Jervis and earlier in life he was a supervisor at Volcanson Silk Mill in Port Jervis.
Nicholas was a 1946 graduate of Port Jervis High School, where he excelled academically and also in sports. He played for the Raiders in football, basketball and baseball. He was chosen as the most valuable player in baseball at Port Jervis High School. Nicholas’s career in baseball continued after high school as he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals but found out about his draft after he was already deployed to Japan in the U.S. Army during World War II. He continued to play baseball in the U.S. Army as a short stop and was All Japan Most Valuable Player.
A family statement read: "Nick was a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle who loved to spend time with his family and enjoyed playing golf."
Survivors include his wife, Tomiko “Tomi” Pinkala, at home; sonm Anthony “Tony” Pinkala and his wife, Mary, of Port Jervis; daughters, Mary Ann Schultes and her husband, Willie, of Port Jervis, and Catherine Mitrano and her husband, Nicholas, of Florida; son, Jason Schultes and his wife, Judy, of Ohio; great grandson Willie Schultes of Ohio; several nieces and nephews; and two brothers-in-law, Kuni Homma and Shodo Homma of Japan.
He was predeceased by his daughter Ann Marie Pinkala; sister, Catherine Riccaridi, and her husband, Donald Riccaridi; and brother, Joseph Pinkala.
Friends called at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home in Port Jervis on Jan. 22. Funeral services were held Jan. 23 at the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Port Jervis. The Rev. Matthew Newcomb officiated.
Burial with military honors was in St. Mary's Cemetery, Port Jervis, N.Y.
Memorial contributions may be made to Roosa-Fleming V.F.W. Post No. 161, 47 Owen St., Port Jervis, NY 12771.