Obituary of Donald R. Pinto Sr.

Donald (Don) Pinto, Sr., beloved husband of the late Joyce (Zaleha) Pinto, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 13, 2025, in Greenville, South Carolina with his children at his side. He was born in Bridgeport on July 13, 1940 to Nicholas and Emily Pinto and was raised in the city's Italian North End. He attended Central High School where he was a standout football player. One of his early claims to fame was playing in the Nutmeg Bowl, a post-season All-Star game, in which he took a hard hit that dislocated his shoulder. This happened near the Central sideline, where Connecticut Governor Abraham Ribicoff was taking in the game. At the sight of Don's arm dangling from its socket the Governor promptly passed out, a moment captured in an embarrassing front-page photo in the Bridgeport Post.

After graduating from Central High in 1958, Don attended beauty school, where he met the love of his life, Joyce Zaleha. They married in 1960 and moved to Trumbull, where they raised their two children, Donald Jr. and Susie. A successful small businessman, Don owned and operated the Salon of Fine Arts, a big, bustling beauty salon in Fairfield, for 47 years. He then sold the business to his employees and took a retirement job as a bus driver for the Trumbull public schools. Given his love of children he enjoyed that job immensely and was well-loved in return by his students and their parents alike. After his bus-driving days were over he kept busy working a couple of days a week in the kitchen at Jennie's Pizzeria, the family restaurant run by his grandfather, father, and uncle starting in 1945.

Don was active and physically fit, enjoying trips to the gym to work out into his 80s. In his younger days he was a member of the Italian Community Center in Bridgeport, where he enjoyed swimming and excelled at raquetball, bringing home numerous trophies. He was a kind, big-hearted man, never hesitating to stop and help someone in need, whether a stranger on the side of the road with a flat tire or a young student on his school bus being picked on by older kids. He loved his Trumbull home of nearly 60 years and could be found outside tending to his yard in all seasons and chatting with his neighbors.

Don treasured his family. There was nothing he enjoyed more than spending time with his wife of 62 years, Joyce, his children, his grandchildren, and eventually his great-grandchildren, as well as his large extended family spread throughout the Bridgeport area. He was known for his keen sense of humor, his exuberant laugh, and the enduring nicknames he coined for family members and friends. He and Joyce enjoyed travel and took many memorable trips, including to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Las Vegas, and several visits to Disney World with their children and grandchildren.

Don is survived by his son Donald Pinto, Jr. and his wife Lynne Powell-Pinto of Hull, MA, his daughter Susie Meyer and her husband Steve Meyer of Easley, SC, and his sister Susan DeSanty and her husband Champ DeSanty of Indian Land, SC. On his son's side he leaves three grandsons: Alexander Pinto and his wife Tova of Arlington, MA and their son Avi; Nicholas Pinto of Carbondale, CO; and Kiernan Pinto of Quincy, MA. On his daughter's side he leaves three granddaughters: Samantha O'Reilly and her husband Conor of Los Gatos, CA, their daughter Emily and son James; Blair Privette and her husband Hank of Easley, SC and their daughters Lillian, Mabel, and Hallie; and Paige Yearwood and her husband Lucas of Augusta, GA and their daughter Emerson. He is also survived by nephews Christopher DeSanty and Kevin DeSanty and niece Lauren (DeSanty) VanDerveer.

Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road in Trumbull from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., with a celebration of life at 11:00 a.m. Immediately following the wake there will be a short interment service at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery at 1056 Daniels Farm Road in Trumbull. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org. To leave an online condolence, visit www.abriola.com