Long time Monroe County resident, Joe Pineda passed away peacefully on Monday, October 17. He would have turned 92, on the 26th. Jose Luis Pineda was born in Havana Cuba in 1930. He left Cuba, Castro and Communism forever in 1962. Joe lived and worked for a while in Nassau, Bahamas where he worked with Ralph E. Baney doing underwater expeditions about sharks. He then went to Miami Beach and worked at the famous Fontainebleau Hotel. It took him several years to finally provide Visa's for his parents, wife and two children but the family was eventually allowed to leave with only those things they could carry and left everything else behind.

They settled in Clarendon, Arkansas in 1965 and Joe began a sawmill business. In 1972 they moved to Monroe where Joe designed and built the family home. The family all became US Citizens in 1976, one of Joe's proudest days. Joe also had his own logging business and spent 20 years harvesting persimmon for a plant in Wheatley that processed the wood for Memphis-based True Temper. He cut other trees as well, but persimmon was his favorite. Persimmon made the best golf club heads and True Temper was a leader in the industry for many years. Joe was featured in the July 2000 edition of Golf Journal Magazine for his logging work in Arkansas and Mississippi. They called him the "Wooden Soldier". He was also known for cutting the second largest Tupelo tree in the State of Arkansas.

Joe loved the outdoors and especially enjoyed his work, fishing, photography and puttering in his yard. He also had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed a good political discussion, history, and spending time with his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Amelia and Jose, and leaves behind his wife of 65 years, Martha; daughter Martha (Tia) and son, Alberto (Bert) and his wife Marda; and three grandchildren a cousin Hugo and his wife Nicole. Joe also leaves behind his much loved four-legged friend, Dallas. He will be deeply missed by his friends, family and all who knew him.

Visitation will be this Saturday, October 22 at 10:00am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Brinkley, Arkansas.  Rosary will begin at 10:30 with Mass following at 11:00.

Memorials may be given to: Arkansas Chihuahua Rescue  P.O. Box 95433 North Little Rock, Arkansas 72190 or Folsom Memorial Library 234 West Cedar Street Brinkley, Arkansas 72021