Donald G. Pinnick

Donald G. Pinnick, age 82, of Chadwick, Illinois, previously of Steward, Illinois, died Monday, December 10, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home, Mt. Carroll, Illinois. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 15, 2018 at Law-Jones Funeral Home, Mt. Carroll. A memorial gathering for family and friends will be held from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., Saturday, prior to the service at the funeral home.

Donald was born June 13, 1936 in West Baden, Indiana, the son of Claude and Fern (Abel) Pinnick. He was married to Loretta (Wortinger) on January 18, 1955 in French Lick, Indiana. They met in 1954 and Donald always said, “I loved Loretta the first day I set eyes on her.” They have three children Valerie, Rodger, and Robert; five grandchildren Aubry, Trevor, Kelsey, Sean, and Jim; five great-grandchildren, Tiger Lily, Warren, Wells, Jack and Bruce.

Donald attended Orleans High School, Orleans, Indiana. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1958 where he worked as an aircraft mechanic. He served tours in the Philippines, and Japan. Upon his honorable discharge he worked many mechanical jobs. He and Loretta moved to Steward, Illinois where they raised their children. He taught his boys the value of doing your own maintenance on home and vehicles. He loved working on his own vehicles and spent many miles on motorcycles. He would often say, “We better hit the road.”

Don was known in Steward as the guy to go to if you needed something fixed. He retired from the telephone company (Contel) at the young age of 55. They sold their house and bought a camper and traveled the country for several years. They finally settled in the small town of Chadwick, Illinois where they made many friends. His love for dogs was known all over town. Donald was a Master Mason in the Steward and Chadwick Masonic Lodges.

Don is survived by his wife Loretta; three children; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; four sisters Barbara, Brenda, Patsy, and Kathy. He is predeceased by his brother Jim, and sister Dorothy. Loretta and the family would like to thank Mike Holland for being a great friend and neighbor for so many years.