110-year-old Second World War veteran honoured in Vancouver

Vancouver -

Second World War veteran Reuben Sinclair has a piece of advice he likes to share with others.

“Never worry,” the 110-year-old said. “If you have a problem, fix it.”

His daughter Nadine Lipetz said it’s his philosophy.

“He’s just a fabulous person. Everybody that meets him falls in love with him. He has a great sense of humour, “ she said. “We don’t look at him as a 110-year-old man. He’s just our dad.”

Sinclair is among the oldest living Second World War veterans in Canada. On Wednesday, he joined a Remembrance Day assembly at Vancouver Talmud Torah school, where members of his family have attended over the years. Along with being a father of three, Sinclair is also has six grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild, with another on the way.

“He and my mother had a wonderful marriage. They were very, very devoted to each other,” Lipetz said. “You couldn’t ask for better parents.”

Sinclair joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in his early 30s in 1942, and took a leave from his accounting job with the treasury department in Saskatchewan.

“His two older brothers tried to talk him out of it,” Lipetz said. “He wanted to do it. He wanted to fight for his country.”

Sinclair ended up serving as a wireless operator mechanic.

Royal Canadian Legion Shalom branch 178 president Danny Redden said Sinclair helped with critical training.

“This gentleman’s role was teaching pilots how to land and take off at night in the 1940s,” he said. “We’re privileged and honoured to be in his presence.”

Sinclair was deployed from Montreal to North Battleford, Saskatchewan, and operated transmitters used to help pilots take off and land on blacked out runways. Later, he would equip aircraft with new receivers and transmitters so they could operate on a new technology at the time: radar.

He was eventually transferred to Vancouver, where he and his wife Ida lived at the time the war ended. They also spent time living in the U.S. before returning to B.C. in 1994, and continued to serve their communities through charity work.

“I always found time to help people less fortunate,” Sinclair said. “And I think that’s one of the reasons that the good Lord keeps me around.”

Sinclair’s beloved wife passed away in 1996. He now lives in Richmond.

Lipetz said Sinclair is very proud of his service in the Air Force.

“He talks about it all the time, and he’s always telling stories about what he did and who he met,” she said. “So you know it meant a lot to him.”

After the school ceremony, Sinclair was presented with a branch service medal and a medal commemorating Canada’s 150th anniversary.

“He just felt very strongly about defending his country,” Lipetz said. “We’re all very proud of him.”

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