Hermenegildo Gil Manuel Pinto

Hermenegildo Manuel “Gil” Pinto was born to Maria (DaSilva) and Manuel Pinto in Faial, Azores, Portugal on May 28, 1945. He passed away in Granite Bay on April 25, 2015, after an eight year battle with Alzheimer’s. Gil’s family migrated to the United States on August 26, 1959, and settled in Newcastle, California. He graduated from Placer High School in 1963 and attended Sierra College, where he studied architecture. He worked in the insurance industry for over 30 years, ultimately opening his own agency, “H. M. Gil Pinto Insurance,” in the early 1990s. He finally retired in 2004 to travel the world with his second wife of 25 years, Karen Kay Pinto.

Throughout his life, Gil enjoyed camping, the dark purple dune buggy he built from the ground up, fishing, boating, Portuguese Festas, and traveling. However, his passion was soccer. He was an exceptional goalkeeper and played semi-professionally for several years. After his soccer “retirement,” Gil played with several adult teams, including Carmelita’s, Disco Azteca, and Turn Verein. He coached many soccer teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including the varsity men’s teams for Foothill High School and Del Oro High School. He also refereed hundreds of competitive, high school, collegiate, and “old-timer” pick-up games throughout Northern California.

Gil was a long time member of the Newcastle Portuguese Hall Association.

Gil was preceded in death by his parents, Maria and Manuel, and his second wife, Karen. Gil is survived by his daughter Deborah (Jimmy) Chu of Elk Grove, son Christopher “CJ” Pinto of Folsom, his grandchildren Alexandria Chu and Derrick Chu both of Elk Grove, and brother Jusé (Marie) Pinto of Oakland. Gil is also survived by his step-daughter Jeannie Ignasiak and family of Loomis and step-son Brian Cundiff of Folsom.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Hermenegildo “Gil” Pinto Memorial Fund in care of the Alzheimer’s Association: http://act.alz.org/goto/Gil_Pinto.