Harold Sinclair

LEXINGTON - Harold Sinclair died May 9th at his home surrounded by his family after facing Alzheimer's disease with courage and gentleness.

Born in Whitmire, SC on September 1, 1922, Harold moved to Epworth Children's Home at the age of nine after the death of his parents. He graduated from Epworth's high school and shortly thereafter joined the Air Force serving as Staff Sergeant. After World War II, he attended USC earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1949.

While he worked for several Property and Casualty insurance companies in SC, NY, WVA and PA, he retired from Central Mutual Insurance Company after 30 years as their District Manager for SC. After retirement, he served as the SC field consultant for Jackson Sumner and Associates for seven years. He was active in the insurance field and was a long-time member of the 1752 Club and the Palmetto Pond of Blue Goose International. He served the community through the St. Andrews Ruritan Club and was the president in 1975. He was also active with the American Legion Post 6. While his children grew, he served as a Virginia Wingard Memorial United Methodist Church basketball coach for both the boys and girls teams, assisted with Boy Scouts and encouraged them in all of their endeavors.

Harold loved his family and the State of South Carolina particularly the USC Gamecocks. He followed USC football faithfully and had season tickets for years, always hoping for a better season "next year" and celebrated the team's successes. Harold particularly enjoyed Surfside Beach, growing and sharing the harvest from his garden, cooking and listening and dancing to big band music. His family will remember him for his positive outlook on life, his sense of humor and easy-going personality in the face of adversity.

Harold was pre-deceased by his parents Victor and Maggie Thrift Sinclair, sisters Clara Woodward, Arminta Burrell and Katherine Brannen and brother Victor Woodrow Sinclair. Survivors include his wife Lois of 27 years; his children Anne

Sinclair (Julian Ruffin) of Columbia; Sutton (Nancy) Sinclair of Lexington; Dean (Leslie) Sinclair of Natchitoches, LA; Carol Sinclair of Atlanta, GA; Patricia Sinclair of Columbia; step-son William Clayton Dearman, Jr. of Lexington, NC; his brother Carl (Dorothy) Sinclair of Greensboro, NC.; eight grandchildren; one great-granddaughter and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Barr-Price Funeral Home Chapel 609 Northwood Rd, Lexington and will be led by Rev. Lamar Potts on Friday May 13, 2011 at 10:00am. The family will receive friends immediately following the service.

The family would like to thank the staff of Heartstrings Hospice for their compassion and care for the past several months.