Uniontown doctor’s life was dedicated to family, community
Born in the Philippines in 1939, Dr. Honorio G. Pineda would go on to fulfill his parents’ expectations – and exceed those of most everyone he cared for and knew. After 40 years in the medical field, the long-time member of the Uniontown Hospital staff died Thursday from complications arising from a rare and aggressive form of angiosarcoma cancer.
He was 63.
“His parents did not have enough money to send all three of their boys to college,” said his daughter, Nina Pineda.
“His father and mother invested in their brightest child, which was my father. He was their hope. They put him through medical school (in the Philippines), but he had to promise to take care of his brothers, and he always has,” she said.
As a family man, he took care of his brothers, even after he moved to the United States with his wife, Mila, in 1965.
As a physician, he cared for hundreds more people.
He completed his residency in Minnesota and worked at a clinic in Wisconsin before moving to Pennsylvania, where he opened his own practice and became a surgeon and member of the Uniontown Hospital medical staff.
“He was your typical doctor,” said Nina Pineda. “He took care of everyone else, but never took time to take care of himself.”
Although he will be sorely missed, his family members and friends prefer to remember him as the vibrant, caring and dedicated man he was before the cancer wreaked havoc on his body.
Dom Amdreani, a close friend of Dr. Pineda’s, remembers the Monday Night Football get-togethers at Shadyside Inn that he, Pineda and many of their friends took part in.
“There were usually 12 of us. We would all gather there, have dinner and watch the game,” said Amdreani. “Doc was always the life of the party; he looked forward to Monday nights and always walked in with a smile on his face.”
Amdreani said that everyone always listened when Pineda spoke, because he was a great storyteller.
Vic Gismondi, a patient and friend of Dr. Pineda’s, said the doctor was extremely dedicated to his patients.
Gismondi remembers an incident about a month ago when he was experiencing back pain and decided to stop in Pineda’s Uniontown office to see if the doctor could do something for him.
Pineda was not in, so Gismondi left and was driving along Route 119 when he saw Pineda’s arm sticking out the window of the small black car in front of him.
“By chance, he was driving in front of me. He must have seen my car in his rear-view mirror, because he motioned for me to pull over,” said Gismondi.
“He asked me if I had been at his office and what was wrong. I told him that my back was bothering me, so he turned me around right on the side of the bypass and examined my back, asking me where it hurt. He was extremely dedicated,” said Gismondi.
Nina Pineda agrees: “Our father was dedicated to doctoring. …Dad was a doctor seven days a week. He never took a day off.”
Dr. Pineda’s work ethic has carried over into his children’s lives. His daughter is a news reporter for WABC in New York City, and his son, David Pineda, is a senior business consultant on the West Coast.
“Dad always left the house at 7 a.m. and worked all day long, even on the weekend,” said David Pineda. “He taught us the importance of hard work. He also taught us to enjoy life and to value happiness over success,” he said.
“Dad stressed the importance of having a career that you love,” said Nina Pineda. “He didn’t care about materialistic things. He would buy his clothes at Kmart, yet hand me a charge card for Saks Fifth Avenue. He gave David and me everything that we ever needed and wanted.”
Dr. Pineda treated his patients as well as he treated his children.
He offered free medical procedures more then once to those who did not have money or medical insurance.
“One patient called and told me that dad removed his appendix for him, even though he didn’t have the money to pay,” said David Pineda.
Another patient said that Dr. Pineda removed his gall bladder for free because he didn’t have medical insurance or money.
“Dad never bragged about his good deeds or his accomplishments,” said David Pineda. “He never even told me he was named Fayette County’s Best Physician/Surgeon for 2002. I found out from someone else.”
Dr. Pineda was not a man to brag, and it was his humble spirit that attracted his wife.
“Dad was shy when he was younger, but he took a shining to mom. Mom was beautiful, a debutante, so she had her choice of men, but she liked dad because he wasn’t aggressive, but shy and humble,” said David Pineda.
And though Dr. Pineda has many degrees, certifications and awards, Nina Pineda said her father’s “greatest accomplishments can be heard in the testimonials of his patients and friends.
“Dad always wanted to make people feel better, and he succeeded,” she said.
Dr. Pineda is survived by his wife; his two children; his mother, Salud Pineda of Manila, Philippines; his brothers, Henry and Remy Pineda of Manila; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received in the Skirpan Funeral Home, 680 Cherry Tree Lane, Uniontown, today from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m.
A prayer service will be held Monday at 9:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m., in St. Theresa de Lisieux Roman Catholic Church of Uniontown, with the Rev. Fr. Kenneth Zaccagnini as celebrant.