Larry Joe Pinkston

Larry Joe Pinkston age 86, of Nederland, Texas passed away on Saturday, October 23, 2021, at Cinco Ranch Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Katy, Texas.

Known by many as “Joe,” he was born on September 13, 1935 in Johnson City, TN to Ralph and Edith (Lyle) Pinkston. His family moved to Bristol, TN where he grew up and graduated from Bristol Tennessee High School in 1958 after serving four years in the US Air Force. He attended the University of Tennessee with his wife June and four children. They started UT with two children and were blessed with twins in August before graduating in December 1961. While attending the University of Tennessee, Joe was a member of several engineering honor societies and received a BS degree in Civil Engineering.

Joe worked in Project Management, Project Engineering and Construction Management positions during his career in several industries. He was in the first group to be tested and received Project Management Professional certification and a retired member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

He has been a resident of Nederland, TX since 1985 after being transferred from Elizabethton, Tennessee by Great Lakes Carbon to work at the Port Arthur Coke Calcining Plant. While in the Corporate Engineering Department in Elizabethton, Joe was a Senior Project Engineer on many projects at all of Great Lakes Carbon Coke Calcining plants in the US. He was also Resident Construction Manager for a new Graphite Electrode Plant in Ozark, Arkansas. At the Port Arthur Texas Coke Calcining Plant (now known as Oxbow Calcining, he held several plant management positions, including Plant Manager and Director of Engineering for Great Lakes Carbon. Joe retired from Great Lakes Carbon in 2002 after 28 years of service in Tennessee and Texas.

He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Twin City Ward in Port Arthur, Texas.

Joe was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 48 years, June Ruth Estep Pinkston; his brother, Mike Pinkston of Bristol, TN; daughter, Cindy Buckalew and son, Robert Pinkston of Jasper, TX.

Those left behind to cherish Joe’s memory are his children, Kelly Mears and her husband, Charlie Mears of Louisville, KY; Kenneth Pinkston and his wife, Terri of Richmond, TX; and one sister, Regina Odum and her husband, Alan Odum of Bristol, TN; 12 grandchildren, Geoffrey Pinkston, Ryan Pinkston, Randi Alexander, Tara Buckalew Lee, Kristina Pinkston, Joshua Pinkston, Kori Pinkston, Ronnie Wolfe, Jeremy Mears, Kimberly Mears Durandetto, Kelsey Mears, and Taylor Mears; and 11 great grandchildren, Zachary Wolfe, Jacob Wolfe, Peyton Lee, Kaison Lee, Reagan Mears, Cooper Mears, Evan Pinkston, Alex Durandetto, Zoey Durandetto, Joseph (Little Joe) Pinkston and Grayson Alexander.

A gathering of family and friends will be from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m., with a service to begin at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 30, 2021, at Melancon’s Funeral Home in Nederland, Texas. Interment will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, Port Neches, Texas. Military honors will be provided by Southeast Texas Veteran’s Service Group.