Colie B. Pinkney was born December 15, 1922, in Newberry, South Carlina. His parents were Johnnie and Luella Scurry Pinkney. He was the eighth of twelve children. He departed this life Tuesday, December 31, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center.

Colie was baptized at the Litte River Baptist Church in Silverstreet, South Carolina, and graduated from Drayton Street High School in Newberry, South Carolina. He was inducted into the U.S. Army and fought in WWII campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe. Among his decorations and citations are the EAMET Campaign Medals with four Bronze Stars, a Service Star, and Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged.

In 1946, he came to Trenton, New Jersey, and joined the Friendship Baptist Church. He enrolled in the Trenton School of Watch Repair and was awarded a Certificate of Completion on July 10, 1950. In 1951, he was employed at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital as an institutional attendant, where he was promoted to become the first African-American Assistant Supervisor for patient management and operations for those judged criminally insane; he held the position until retirement. Colie was also an entrepreneur and business owner providing watch repair services, a certified technical skill he learned from his vocational studies. In addition, he served as the first president of the first Union with the State of New Jersey. During his state employment, he had the fortuitous chance to meet the love of his life, Gertrude "Trudy" Funderburg, whom he married on July 6, 1957, a union blessed with two children, a son Stefan (Jaine) and daughter Cassandra D.

Colie joined Samuel S. Dade Lodge #1400 in 1954. He was a Leading Knight and later elected Esquire, serving faithfully for 10 years. He was later elected Treasurer, serving 19 years. In 1975, he joined PER Council #20 and was elected Bursar. In 1978 he was elected Exalted Ruler State Auditor and served until 1983, during which period he was brevetted the degree of Grand Exalted Ruler (June 1982). He was also a member of the American Legion, Mitchell A. Davis Post #182 for 43 years, holding such positions as club chairman, color guard, board trustee, and member of the executive council.

Brother of the late Lucinda Pinkney Sheppard, Rosa Oden, Maryam Pinkney Muhammad, Daniel Pinkney, John Pinkney, Alfred Pinkney, Emanuel Pinkney Muhammad, and William Pinkney, Sr., he is survived by his wife Gertrude; daughter Cassandra, son, and daughter-in-law Stefan and Janie Pinkney of Barstow, California; two grandchildren Desiree and Jerry Pinkney of Barstow, California; three sisters and one brother-in-law Bennie Lee Pinkney and Wilbert Murphy of Jersey City, New Jersey, Nancy Yates and Ethel Taylor of Washington, D.C.; eight sisters-in-law and five brothers-in-law; Louise Muhammad of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, Rosebud Pinkney, Lucille Funderburg, Lois and Luman Funderburg, Mary and Jonathan Funderburg, Josephine and Davis Funderburg, all of Trenton, Will Bell Kirkland of Gadsden, Alabama, and Pearl Hamilton of Childersburg, Alabama; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Calling hours were 9 a.m. until service hours. Memorial services were held Monday, January 6, 1997, at 1 p.m. at Friendship Baptist Church, 111 Perry Street, Trenton, officiated by the Rev. Dr. Willie J. Sanders and under the funeral directions of Campbell Funeral Chapel, Inc. Internment followed on January 7, 1997, at 10 a.m. His obituary appeared in the The Trenton Times January 5, 1997 edition.
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Contributor: M MUHAMMAD (51038278)