Posted: 10/20/04
By MaryHelen Swanson
With flags at half staff, red, white and blue ribbons on posts, patriotic arm bands everywhere and hushed voices in gathering places, the city of North Branch mourns the loss of a beloved citizen, a man who loved his country enough to die for it.
No, he was not in the military, not now, anyway. He was a civilian who believed in his country and went to Iraq to help an oppressed people in hopes that young men and women in his hometown would not have do it when they grew up.
ìJohn was very determined and convicted to the cause,î said his wife Lorie Monday night.
ëNothing was more important to him than America and when the opportunity to help came up he needed do it,î she said.
Sitting at the kitchen table, hands often folded, eyes often moistened with tears that wanted to come but didnít, John Pinsonneaultís wife talked fondly of this brave man she loved so dearly.
And still does.
Pinsonneault, 39, a former mayor of North Branch, was one of three Americans killed inside the Green Zone in Baghdad last Thursday when suicide bombers set off explosives.
The Green Zone was supposed to be a safe place for Americans working and living in Iraq.
Pinsonneault served eight years in the Marines and six years in the reserves. He fought in Desert Storm. He was terribly proud to be an American.
But since last May, he was involved in securing freedom as a civilian security team leader in Iraq. He was working for Computer Service Corp, the parent company of a private security company DynCorp. Pinsonneault felt it was extremely important to get the people of Iraq through to the national election coming up in January, his wife said.
John was highly trained for what he was doing, Lorie said. There is no doubt in her mind that her husband and the other men working in Iraq with him, did everything they could in that situation last Thursday.
ìRight up to the end,î she said softly, ìhe was convinced it was the right choice to make (going to Iraq) and that the United States did not make a mistake in going over there.î
The decision to go took some time, Lorie said, as did the selection process. It was not an overnight decision.
As his wife, she said, she was concerned. She would have preferred that he not go.
But it was important to him and, she said, she always supported John and his decisions.
John left for Iraq in May. He was home for three weeks in August and had planned to come home again for another three weeks at Thanksgiving. He would be home for good next May.
Breaking up the time into intervals was going to help, Lorie said.
Lorie found the daily e-mails from John to be extremely comforting. While most people get up in the morning and go to the kitchen to turn on the coffee, she said, she went straight to the computer. Sometimes the messages were short, just a simple ìgood morning.î
She had received an e-mail from him last Thursday morning.
As others whose loved ones are in Iraq do, Lorie watched the news all the time. Last Thursday when she heard about the bombing it sparked her attention. She grew more interested as the day went on, she said.
Still, she said, she never thought it would be John. She learned the sad news when the North Branch police officer arrived at her door Thursday afternoon.
ìWe lost an amazing man,î Lorie said. ìI can honestly say Iíve never met anyone like John,î she went on. ìHe touched so many lives.î
John and Lorie met while they were working at Regal Machine in Wyoming. They were married nine years last month. They celebrated the occasion in August when he was home.
The couple took a trip to Grand Marais and rode all the way up the Gunflint Trail on Johnís Harley-Davidson. Riding the big bike was a favorite past time for the two.
They also enjoyed family time.
That family included Johnís three step-children Missy Kosky, 21, Tessa Kosky, 22, and 18-year-old Jake Kosky, a senior at NBHS. John also has a daughter Ashley, 19, who lives in North Dakota.
Monday night Missy briefly joined her mother at the table. She agreed that John stood for 100 percent patriotism.
ìThereís no national anthem that I wonít stand up for,î she said, thinking fondly of her step-fatherís love of country.
ìWeíll miss him as a role model,î Missy Kosky said, adding that John was the kind of person to keep them going, working toward being the best they could be. Lorie agreed that John was motivational.
ìHe always could pick the good out of a situation,î Lorie added.
ìWeíll miss his humor, too,î she continued, joining her daughter in a brief smile of remembrance.
But it will be tough. As the brightness in her eyes gave way to the pain of loss once again, Lorie said she was devastated when she got the news, and still is.
ìThe life I knew will never be the same,î she said. ìIím so proud of my husband.î
John, she said, was always bigger than life to her, just infallible. ìJohn never did anything less than 110 percent, he always gave it his all,î she went on. ìWe are all better people for knowing him.î
Lorie said the support she has gotten and will get from the community will help.
That includes the friendship of Pam and Tim Watters who have been her lifeline in the past few days.
Theyíre hurting deeply, too, she said.
And her children, theyíve not left her side since Thursday.
ìWe just all have to get through this together,î Lorie said.ì John would want me to hold my head high,î she added.
Lorie feels the brave people - military and civilians - working in Iraq, need to be recognized. Theyíve all sacrificed a lot, some with their lives.
She said it would be so sad if john lost his life for nothing.
He had so much going for him here, she said. He wore many hats. His business was thriving, he had coached several youth athletic teams, including junior Olympic girls softball, flag to varsity football, and hockey, from Bantams to the high school teams. He had been mayor. He gave up a lot, unselfishly, he didnít think twice, Lorie said.
Lorie said John would be asked why he was doing this, when people knew he was going to Iraq.
She said heíd ask them if they enjoyed their freedom and their country. And then heíd say, ìThatís why.î
Many people have been asking about a service for Pinsonneault. Lorie knows his body is in the United States. Thatís about all she knows at this time.
The family will have a visitation in North Branch and funeral service that will probably have to be held at the high school. John will be buried at Fort Snelling.
Right now, family and friends are putting together photo memory boards and Lorie is waiting for phone calls.
But tomorrow and the day after and perhaps for many days after that Lorie will jump out of bed in the morning and head to the computer to check for the special e-mail.
Sadly, it wonít be there.
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