PORTLAND – Clifford Henry Sinnett, 91, died peacefully Nov. 15, 2010, surrounded by family at Maine Medical Center. He was born April 4, 1919, in Portland, the son of Ervin Clifford Sinnett and Elizabeth Frances Chandler Sinnett. Mr. Sinnett graduated in 1937 from Deering High School, Portland; attended Governor Dummer Academy, South Byfield, Mass.; and Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania; and graduated from the University of Maine, Orono, in 1943, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. On Jan. 29, 1944, in Norfolk, Va., he married the love of his life, Charlotte Mae Gifford of Bangor. They celebrated 66 years of marriage. Mr. Sinnett enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January 1942, and was deferred in order to graduate from college before being commissioned an ensign in December 1943. After amphibious naval training, he was assigned to the USS LST 530 in New York City. He was an active participant at Gold Beach on D-Day, where he and his crew were dropped to use their landing craft. Later he and the crews he commanded – together with their landing craft – were trailered overland to Belgium, where he participated in the crossing of the Rhine River. He received battle stars for the D-Day landing, the Battle of the Bulge, the Ardennes and the crossing of the Rhine. He finished his World War II duty in Seattle, then joined the Naval Reserve. During the Korean War he was called back to duty and was stationed on Yodo Island in Wonsan Harbor – 60 miles north of the bomb line. He completed his duties on the Intelligence desk of the Commander Naval Forces Far East in Japan. He retired as a lieutenant commander. Mr. Sinnett was in the investment business all his civilian life. He started in 1939 with Charles H. Gilman & Co., rising to become owner before the firm merged with H.M. Payson & Co. in 1974. At one time he was president of Maine Investment Dealers Association, and for three years was on the business conduct committee of National Association of Security Dealers. He was on the board of trustees for Osteopathic Hospital of Maine for 25 years; was a former president and life member of Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals; was a life member of Maine Charitable Mechanics Association, Harpswell Historical Society, Retired Officers Association and Naval Intelligence Professionals; and was a member of the USS LST Association. Mr. Sinnett was proud of his Bailey Island ancestry. His father, Ervin Clifford Sinnett, was one of the first to cross the original Bailey Island cribstone bridge. His grandfather, E. E. Sinnett, ran the general store and post office, and petitioned the state to build the original cribstone bridge. His great-grandfather, Capt. William Henry Sinnett “Capt’n Hen” and his wife, Joanna, gave the walkway passing Giant Stairs and Pinnacle Rock to the town 100 years ago in 1910. He and his wife enjoyed traveling, especially to Rincon, Puerto Rico. Surviving are his wife, Charlotte of Portland and Bailey Island; three sons, Jay and his wife, Pam, of Greenville, S.C., Everett and his wife, Rachel, of Rockville, Md., and Chandler and his wife, Kathie, of Falmouth; and six grandchildren, Julia TenBroeck and husband, Scott, of Charlotte, N.C., Henry of Rochester, N.H., Gregory and wife, Marilyn, of Westbrook, Daniel and wife, Helen, of Palo Alto, Calif., Carolyn of Rockville, Md., and David and wife, Sara, of Windham. He was the great-grandfather of Corrin TenBroeck. A private interment was held at Bailey Island Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department, P.O. Box 177, Orr’s Island, ME 04066 or a charity of your choice.
CLIFFORD HENRY SINNETT
