October 7, 1950 ~ January 11, 2025 (age 74)
Obituary
Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 AM on Monday, January 27, 2025 at Eastside United Pentecostal Church.
Travis Ray Pinkston of Woden Texas was born October 7, 1950 to Henry Pinkston and Hazel Weaver Pinkston in Corsicana, Texas and gained his angel wings in the early morning hours of January 11, 2025 at the age of 74 years, 4 months and 4 days old.
Travis was born in Corsicana, Texas while his dad and mom were selling cotton from his dads truck. A few days later they came back to their home in the Woden area, where he grew up being the youngest of four brothers. He attended Woden school until his 6th grade year when his dad came to pick him up from school to help him on the truck and he never went back. From that day forward he grew to love the life of driving a truck.
In later years he downsized to a one ton truck and began his own business of hauling and selling watermelons and hauling junk iron. Through the years he met several people and became known as the “Junk Man.” Some of his work came from Bright Coop, Langley Manufacturing, and Lacy’s Trucking. He also sold barrels to many businesses throughout East Texas.
He and his cousin James Lewis Pinkston would go out on the town, honky-tonking and dancing. One night while enjoying the buffet at Hot Biscuit he met a lady that would one day be his wife and the love of his life, Jennie Rose Acosta. That night started a long relationship of dating her for 17 years. Until his brother William told him “Y’all need to get to know each other longer”. And so on August 10, 2002 Jennie Rose became his wife. He brought one son and she brought in three sons and one daughter. Together they had a family of five children along with grandchildren.
Travis loved to grill on his big pit and fry fish for fish fries whether it be for home or a whole bunch of people somewhere else. And those were just a few of his cooking talents.
Travis and Jennie lived in the Kingtown community for 40 years and he became friends with many people of the community throughout the years. Especially becoming Pawpaw to every young child in the community, thanks to his grandson Tyler. Tyler and the community kids would walk all over Kingtown and when they got hungry or thirsty they would go to Mawmaw and Pawpaw for whatever they had to offer. Travis never turned a child away without something to eat and drink.
Becoming a great grandpa gave him that much more joy. He loved Marcus and that he would follow Pawpaw to help with his truck or work on the barrels. Later he became a great grandpa to girls and they each caught his eye. Giving a baby a tootsie pop, a donut with sprinkles, or a little money for their piggy bank made him the happiest Pawpaw around.
The best joy he had was on the night of September 9, 2024 when he asked for prayer and that he wanted to become a child of God. That night he asked Jesus to forgive him of everything he had done wrong in his life, to come into his heart and save his soul. As tears filled his eyes and he spoke to God all the old was cast away and he became a new man.
Travis is survived by his wife Jennie Acosta Pinkston. His son Gerald Joe Quinn, three stepsons: Billy Church (Mary), Bubba Lynn Church, Joe Wayne Church, and one stepdaughter Felicia Brown. Brothers: Darrell Pinkston (gf Jeanie), William Pinkston (Barbara), Lewis Pinkston (Judy), Four 1/2 sisters: Vedra Wilt (Sean), Wanda Ivy (Steve), Krista Carter (Jody), Mary Woods and one half brother Travis Paul Woods (Kathy). An uncle Howard Weaver (Cindy), and a cousin that was like a brother James Lewis Pinkston. Also surviving are 16 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A special friend and caregiver Darla Heaslet. The family would also like to thank Affinity Hospice, Montana Heaselt, and Kaylee “Kaylan” Jones for helping take care of Travis during the last several months.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Hazel Pinkston, Stepmom Frances Ferguson, several aunts, uncles, and cousins. His first wife Kathy Quinn and his great grandson Thomas Rogers.
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