Latrobe Navy vet's nickname alluded to love of sports

The easiest way to hitchhike across the country, Pigskin used to say, was to take rides from people on long-distance trips. Jump in the car with someone who was out running errands and you could wind up stranded in the desert, as he once was.

He would know; he once hitchhiked from California to his home in Latrobe while on leave from the Navy. A few years later, he did it again.

“He told that story numerous times around the campfire,” said his son, Denny Mickinak. “People just loved that story.”

Joseph W. “Pigskin” Mickinak, 79, of Latrobe died of stomach ulcer complications at Excela Health Latrobe Hospital on Saturday, July 22, 2017.

Born Dec. 2, 1937, in Latrobe, he was the son of Joseph and Marie Mickinak.

In 1955, Mr. Mickinak graduated from Derry Area School District, where he played and fell in love with football, something that earned him his nickname.

“His brother hung that on him,” his son said.

Mr. Mickinak joined the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion, or the Seabees, shortly after he graduated. He helped build airstrips and erect Quonset huts in Guam, Midway Atoll and the Philippines.

He organized a football league for his fellow Seabees, too, one that had its own uniforms.

After retiring from the Navy in the late 1950s, Mr. Mickinak moved back in with his parents, who had moved to a new neighborhood. There, he met and fell for a neighbor, Dolores J. Ulishney. They married about a year later.

He returned briefly to construction before working as a tool and die maker at Latrobe Die Casting. He later worked for the nonprofit family services agency Adelphoi.

Mr. Mickinak coached Midget football, teener league baseball and rec softball.

He enjoyed watching Pittsburgh sports and spending time outdoors — fishing at Lake Erie and hunting with many dogs over the years.

“He built pens in the backyard where they could run,” recalled his daughter Monica Mickinak. “We had a black Lab, English springer spaniels, beagles, bluetick hounds.”

Almost every weekend of her youth, his daughter said, her family went camping at Laurel Mountain State Park or Keystone State Park.

Mr. Mickinak was preceded in death by his wife, Dolores.

He is survived by his son, Dennis Mickinak of Latrobe; daughters, Gloria A. Mickinak of Latrobe, Monica Mickinak of Greensburg and Sandra Tlumack of Latrobe; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Friends will be received Wednesday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the John J. Lopatich Funeral Home, 601 Weldon St., Latrobe. Panachida service will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home, followed at 10 a.m. by a funeral liturgy at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, Latrobe. Interment will follow at Unity Cemetery, with military services accorded by VFW Post 33, Greensburg.

Matthew Guerry is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-2122, mguerry@tribweb.com or via Twitter at @MattGuerry.