May 8, 1943 – March 6, 2026
Dr. Robert Joe (Bobby) Pinkner, age 82 passed away peacefully Friday evening, March 6, 2026 at the Hospice of Texarkana facility on Galleria Oaks after a very recent diagnosis of Stage 4 Esophageal Malignancy. He was born at Seaside Naval Hospital in Long Beach CA on May 8, 1943 to Dr. Joe Pinkner originally from Shawnee OK and Valenta Maurine Pinkner of Oklahoma City OK. The Pinkners moved to Texarkana when Bobby was just 4 (before he knew how lucky he was to move to TX). He attended St. James Kindergarten, Highland Park Elementary, Texas Avenue Junior High and Texas High School in Texarkana TX as well as a year at Texarkana College before two years at the University of Texas in Austin and then four years at the University of Houston where he graduated with a doctorate degree in Optometry in May of 1967. In Texarkana he practiced with Dr. Hughes before opening his own office. He sold his successful Optometry practice to Dr. Jeff Phillips in 2000 (now The Eye Guys). After retirement, he thoroughly enjoyed traveling, especially cruising. He was fortunate enough to sail on 56 cruises and spent over 500 days on cruise ships all over the world. He was predeceased by both his parents and grandparents. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Preston Pinkner; his children, Gregory Joe Pinkner and wife, Jennifer Cox Pinkner of Knoxville TN and Monica Paige Pinkner Walbeck and husband, Scottie Walbeck of Texarkana TX; four grandsons, Hunter Walbeck and Kale Walbeck of Texarkana, Jack Pinkner and Luke Pinkner of Knoxville TN; his sister and brother-in-law, Valenta (Val) Pinkner Harter and Don Harter of Richardson TX; two nieces, Holly Harter Coleman and husband, Chris Coleman of Plano TX, Misty Harter Meadows and husband, Bryan Meadows of Bay City TX; great nephew, Hunter Coleman (Audrey) and their two children of Ft. Worth TX; great nieces Addison Coleman and Faye Coleman and her husband, John of Plano TX, Aislyn Meadows of Baytown TX; great nephew Wayte Meadows of Bay City TX; sister-in-law, Donna Preston Buffington Jeffus and husband, Mike Jeffus of Texarkana AR; nieces, Amber Buffington Runion and husband, Danny Runion of Ogden AR and Amanda Buffington Tommie and husband, Demetri Tommie of Texarkana TX; great nieces, Adelynn Runion & Alayna Runion of Ogden AR and Eliana Tommie of Texarkana TX; brother-in-law, Glenn McBride of Jackson MO; nephews, Tony McBride, Tim McBride and Jason McBride and wife, Marianne and their daughter, Madelyn McBride, all of Cape Girardeau MO; several cousins in CA, Seattle, and FL as well as many other family members and friends. Viewing and visitation will be at Chapelwood Funeral Home Chapel in Nash TX on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 from 5:00 -7:00 P.M. Funeral services will be at Chapelwood Funeral Home Chapel officiated by Brad Watson at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, March 12, 2026. Entombment will immediately follow the service in the Cathedral Garden Mausoleum at Chapelwood Memorial Gardens. The family wishes to thank the excellent care and support given by the management and employees of Cornerstone Skilled Nursing Department and Hospice of Texarkana on Galleria Oaks.
Arrangements are under the direction of Texarkana Funeral Home.
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