It is with regret that I inform you of the passing of Dr. Frank Dinka, PhD on Thursday morning. You may recall the interview I shared with you last July. I called Coach Dinka the ‘Godfather’ of soccer in this area and his obituary offers more detail on the many efforts he made to establish a foothold for the sport in the Ozarks.
I really enjoyed the brief time I had getting to know Coach Dinka and remember commenting to him on how good he looked, leading up to his 80th birthday on September 11th. So this comes as a surprise, as it often does. I had hoped to spend more time with him after the craziness of the season had passsed talking about the early years. Now I’ll have to rely on the many players he has still contributing to the game of soccer in the Ozarks, people like Jan Stahle (referee, former SMSU & Greenwood Coach) and Evan Palmer (Nixa Coach) to help me learn more about what it was like then.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, October 10, 2005, in GormanScharpf Brentwood Chapel with the Reverend Alf Halvorson officiating. Burial will full military honors will be Tuesday at 9 a.m. in Springfield National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Frank Dinka Scholarship Fund for Comparative Politics, c/o Missouri State University Foundation, Kenneth E. Meyer Alumni Center, 300 S. Jefferson, Suite 100, Springfield, MO 65804. Please note Frank Dinka Scholarship Fund on your check.
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During a Google search, I came upon a reference to your website and felt compelled to write and thank you for the tributes you’ve made to my father in several of your entries over the past few months. Your first entry appeared on my birthday, the second on his…timing is everything! The third, while it makes me sad to read it, also makes me proud to know the respect and commendation he received from the community. I know few people who loved soccer—playing, coaching, watching—more than he did. I appreciate your many accolades regarding his contributions to the SMSU and Springfield soccer programs. Jane (Dinka) Palisch
During a Google search, I came upon a reference to your website and felt compelled to write and thank you for the tributes you’ve made to my father in several of your entries over the past few months. Your first entry appeared on my birthday, the second on his…timing is everything! The third, while it makes me sad, also makes me proud to know the respect and commendation he received from the community. I know few people who loved soccer—playing, coaching, watching—more than he did. I appreciate your many accolades regarding his contributions to the SMSU and Springfield soccer programs.
Jane (Dinka) Palisch