BIOGRAPHY

Reuben Sinclair was born on the family farm near Lipton, Saskatchewan, Canada. His birth certificate was registered on 5 December 1911, but according to his older brothers, he was born in the summer of 1911.

His parents were Yitzok Sinclair (born Sandler) and Fraida Dubrovinsky, both immigrants from the present-day Ukraine, where his two older brothers were born. He had two older brothers, one older sister, and one younger brother. The three youngest siblings did chores while the older two headed to university. Samuel became a medical doctor and Sol was a professor of agriculture at the University of Manitoba.

Sinclair joined the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War and was stationed in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Because of his wartime experience, Sinclair developed migraine headaches and was told to go to a drier climate. He thought Arizona sounded good, but his wife, Ida, had siblings in the Los Angeles area and a brother-in-law offered him a job in a furniture store in Anaheim. In 1964, the couple moved to Southern California with their three children

In 1994, his wife suffered from a stroke and the couple moved back to British Columbia. She died in 1996.

In November 2021, he had three living children, six grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Sinclair passed away in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, on 27 August 2023, at the age of 111 years, 265 days.

RECOGNITION

On 19 June 2021, following the death of 109-year-old Tom Lumby, he became the oldest Canadian veteran of the Second World War.

On 18 September 2021, following the death of 110-year-old Arnold Hawkins, he became the oldest known living man born in Canada.

On 12 February 2022, following the death of 111-year-old claimant Ja Hyung Lee, he became the oldest known living man in Canada.

On 4 October 2022, following the death of Ezra Hill, he became the oldest known living veteran of the Second World War.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Canada’s oldest Second World War veteran laid to rest in British Columbia” – Global News, 29 August 2023

GALLERY