Richard Duval Sinclair, Jr. passed from this life into the hands of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on January 4, 2021. He was born to Richard and Nancy Sinclair on August 18, 1949 and lived most of his formative years in Richmond, California. The family moved to Morrilton, Arkansas during his teen years when his mother answered the call of God to become a minister. Being the son of a female pastor and evangelist was not always easy, but he made the best of it. He played the guitar, sang, was in a Christian band called Maranatha, and loved the Lord. Richard was a delegate to Arkansas Boys State and excelled in sports playing football, basketball and ran track. He graduated from Richmond Union High School in 1967.
In 1968 he met Gloria Gesell and in the summer of 1970 was drafted into the Army. He was honorably discharged due to medical reasons. Soon after he and Gloria were married on November 28, 1970. They welcomed Kimberley in 1972 and Kristel in 1974. He worked full-time for Lucky stores in Richmond providing for his family while attending Cal State Hayward and was the Assistant Pastor at his mother's church in Pittsburg, CA. He graduated valedictorian from Pentecostal Bible College and was ordained into the Pentecostal Church of God organization in 1981. In June of that year, he became the pastor of Woodland Christian Center where he pastored for the next 38 years. As busy as Richard was, he always made quality time for his girls. Whether it was teaching them how to change a tire and drive a stick shift, shoot a perfect free throw, or watch a vintage Western movie while eating popcorn, he always made time for them and their interests. He never missed a game, performance, or piano recital. The church grew and he mentored many young ministers. He had a heart for the youth of Woodland and was constantly looking for ways to support them, in fact WCC was one of the first non-profits to have a fireworks booth in Woodland to benefit the youth ministry. The church also had a thriving bus ministry for many years with a special outreach program for elementary students and teens. He loved the quote “It is better to build children than to repair adults” and demonstrated God’s love to all. He attended countless football, basketball, baseball games, wrestling matches, drama, choir, and band performances over the years. The youth always knew that Pastor Sinclair loved them and was their biggest cheerleader, although Gloria cheered much louder!
The church moved in 1993 from 601 Walnut Street to 39839 Road 17A (formerly Laugenour School) where both the church and youth ministry flourished. During this time, he became part of the inaugural group of volunteer Chaplains for Woodland Police Department in 1997. He was excited to serve the community in another capacity. After 10 years at the Laugenour location, the church purchased their current property at 441 California Street. God continued to bless the church under his leadership. He continued his work with the Chaplaincy, supporting both the law enforcement community in Yolo County, as well as the citizenry. He took great pride in his service and was Woodland Police Department Volunteer of the Year in 2010. He retired from Woodland Christian Center in May of 2019 and from Woodland Police Department Chaplaincy in November of 2020.
In June of 1996 he gained his most cherished title, “Popi”, when Kim and Mike welcomed a son. Austin was the light of his life and they had an incredibly special bond from the beginning. Mike and Kim lived for a few years in Woodland, before moving to Idaho in 2000. Despite the distance, he and Austin enjoyed a great relationship. He and Noni were always there for the important milestones in Austin’s life from kindergarten graduation, soccer and lacrosse games, summer vacations, Eagle Scout Project, high school and college graduations, plus countless more special moments. He was extremely proud that Austin recently received his MBA from Idaho State University in December 2020. He was not only important in Austin’s life, but he was “Popi” to Austin’s friends and to the exchange students that Kim and Kristel hosted, William and Douglas from Sweden, Simone from Italy, and Martine from Norway. He and Gloria also welcomed exchange students into their home and enjoyed getting to know them and their culture. He was a bonus Grandpa to many, and will be missed for his love, guidance, and endless support.
Richard loved to travel, especially with his family! He and Gloria first traveled to Israel, Greece, Italy, and Germany in 1970, and their adventures continued throughout life. There were many family vacations, cruises and road trips. He returned to Israel many times and looked forward to another trip in the future. The family took a special trip in 2018 which included ports of call in Sweden, Estonia, Russia, and Finland. Once the cruise was over, they extended their stay in Sweden and travelled to Norway to visit their exchange student families in their home countries. Richard and Gloria celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2020 and it was to be their “Year of Jubilee” with many trips planned. Unfortunately, they were only able to travel to Hawaii before the entire world was impacted by COVID restrictions. Nevertheless, they enjoyed their time spent together, and continued to plan future trips. Richard loved meeting new people, learning new customs, trying new cuisine and immersing himself in the local culture during his travels.
Richard had the philosophy that “Happiness is a choice and I have chosen to be happy.” He lit up a room when he entered, could put a smile on your face, and always had something positive to say. He was an accomplished musician, loved sports, classic cars, MMA, listening to jazz and blues, history, collecting Coca Cola memorabilia, finding a good deal on clearance and spending time with friends and family. Richard will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, infectious smile, and servant’s heart.
He was preceded in death by his mother, father, and baby sister. He is survived by his beloved wife Gloria of 50 years, daughter Kristel, daughter Kim and husband Mike, grandson Austin, sister Kaye, nephew Stephen and wife Helen, great-nephew Michael and great-niece Haley, as well as his international grandchildren, countless friends and family members.
Richard will be missed by all who knew him, but we know that our loss is Heaven’s gain. He has run his race and finished the course, the Father has said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
Services will be held virtually Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 10:00 am Pacific Time via YouTube at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hI6pomDMTeM&feature=youtu.be. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Woodland Police Department Chaplaincy at https://tinyurl.com/yyzmg2sd or Christians United For Israel https://cufi.org.
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