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Harry and Ida Pinto, husband and wife, passed away on same day

by Andrea Pyka

Harry and Ida Pinto, Mountain View residents married for 67 years, died within 12 hours of each other on Aug. 26. Both were both 91 years old.

The family did not disclose the cause or place of death, although according to the couple's daughter, Ida did not know that her husband's death had occurred before she passed away.

Harry was born April 30, 1915, in San Francisco. He was raised in Mountain View and went to Mountain View High School. He met Ida in 1938, and they married a year later at St. Joseph Church in Mountain View.

As a Marine during World War II, Harry became a prisoner of war at Cabanatuan in the Philippines. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts.

He retired as a 2nd lieutenant in 1960, later studied at Santa Clara University and became an assistant tax assessor for Santa Clara County. He was also the proprietor of Hallmark Stationary in downtown Mountain View.

Ida was born July 17, 1915, in Vacaville. She was a star basketball player for the woman's basketball team at Vacaville High School, and won many speed typing contests in the Sacramento area.

She later moved to Mountain View and became assistant city clerk. She attended Healds Business College and, after graduating, became head bookkeeper for her family grocery store chain, Escano.

Harry and Ida had two daughters and one son. Both were lifelong members of the Mountain View Historical Society.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations for Ida Pinto be send to hospice or Alzheimer's organizations, and for Harry Pinto to Special Olympics or Paralyzed Veterans of America.

E-mail Andrea Pyka at apyka@mv-voice.com

Posted by Les Groshong, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Sep 10, 2007 at 12:27 pm

There were at least five men from Mountain View who belonged to 'C' Company, 12 th Battalion, United States Marine Corps Reserves, that met monthly in San Francisco. Besides Harry Pinto, there was Phil Silia. Bill Miller, Peter Teresi, Herb Woods.and myself. We were called to active duty on November 7, 1940. Platoon Ssrgeant Pinto was our enlisted leader, and certainly one of the finest Marines that I ever knew in five years of service.

Posted by Les Groshong, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Sep 10, 2007 at 12:27 pm

There were at least five men from Mountain View who belonged to 'C' Company, 12 th Battalion, United States Marine Corps Reserves, that met monthly in San Francisco. Besides Harry Pinto, there was Phil Silia. Bill Miller, Peter Teresi, Herb Woods.and myself. We were called to active duty on November 7, 1940. Platoon Ssrgeant Pinto was our enlisted leader, and certainly one of the finest Marines that I ever knew in five years of service.