Los Angeles
County
Biographies
RICHARD CLARK SINCLAIR
Richard
Clark Sinclair is the co-owner of the only printing business in the San Gabriel
Valley which has been owned and operated by the same family for three
generations. The Sinclair Printing
Company was started in 1938 by Alexander Sinclair and his son, Donald J.
Sinclair, grandfather and father of the present owner.
Dick,
as he is known locally, was born on August 12, 1929, in Alhambra,
California. The son of Donald J. and
Elizabeth (Shepard) Sinclair, he attended Henry
Huntington Elementary School in San Marino, California, graduating from South
Pasadena High School in 1946. Mr.
Sinclair attended the University of Colorado from 1946 to 1949, and was a
member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
After
leaving college in 1949, Mr. Sinclair went to work for his father as a pressman
in the shop, and remained on this job until 1952. His father retired in 1956; moving to Bass
Lake, California, and this personable young man took over the operation of the
Sinclair Printing Company.
The
interesting history of the Sinclair family begins three generations back, when
Alexander Sinclair was born in Wick, Scotland.
At the age of 13, the Sinclair family came to the United States,
settling in Iowa. While still a young
man, Alex Sinclair began his career in the newspaper business in Jasper, Minnesota,
until coming to Van Nuys, California, in 1927.
Mr. Sinclair’s son, Donald J., became associated with his father in the
newspaper business at an early age. In 1929 the father and son partnership
purchased the Alhambra Herald Newspaper, which was located on Valley
Boulevard. Moving the business to 40
North Garfield Avenue in Alhambra in 1936, they remained at this location until
1955, a period of 19 years. The Sinclair
Printing Company was established in 1938, doing commercial printing. Mr. Donald J. Sinclair purchased the business
from his father in 1945, one year prior to the death of Alexander Sinclair, and
headed the firm for ten years before his retirement. Young Dick Sinclair then took over the firm to
carry on the family business. The Sinclair
Printing Company moved to its present location at 217 North Garfield Avenue in
1955, and does all types of commercial printing and lithography, with a staff
of fifteen full time employees.
Mr.
Sinclair was married to Miss Patricia Jean Grimm on December 21, 1949, in the
Methodist Church in Evanston, Illinois.
They have three sons: William
Donald, born on February 19, 1954; Robert James, born on November 14, 1955,
both boys attending the Stoneman Elementary School as
did their father; and Daniel John, born on December 18, 1958.
Mr.
Sinclair is very active in local civic functions and organizations, having been
a past member and director of the Alhambra Junior Chamber of Commerce, and
serving as chairman of the Hi Neighbor Parade in 1953. He has served on the finance committee of the
Community Chest and United Fund. He is a
member of the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, having served on the board of
directors in 1957-60. He is also a
member of the Alhambra Rotary Club and has served on the board of directors of
this service club.
Mr.
Sinclair’s hobbies include snow and water skiing and various do-it-yourself
activities.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 494-495, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES