Douglas Sinclair

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved dad and grandpa, Douglas Sinclair. Surrounded by loved ones, he passed away on May 15, 2026, at the age of 88 at the Brandon General Hospital. Grandpa Doug was born on February 15, 1938, in Gladstone, Manitoba and was a loving life partner, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend to all whose lives he touched.

Grandpa attended school in Gladstone and Rapid City, Manitoba. He often told his grandkids that in Gladstone, he would walk four miles to school and four miles back in all weather conditions. Throughout his life, he worked hard to provide for his family and himself, holding a variety of different jobs. His first job was at the age of 5, where he spent the day hauling potatoes for a farmer, who paid him 10 cents. He worked splitting logs and piling cord wood for .50 cents an hour when he was 7.  At the age of 8 he helped his father Joseph Sinclair, Andy Spence, and Gabriel Roulette to brush the road from Gladstone to Westbourne. Grandpa worked as a thresher in Rapid City as a teenager. As he got older, Grandpa worked in construction; as a bricklayer and operating the jack hammer. Working on buildings such as the Portage General Hospital, the Birchwood Inn (formerly Holiday Inn Airport West), and the Richardson building. In his early adulthood, he completed the National Survival training at the Brandon Armoury in preparation of a possible nuclear war. His other jobs included working on the Trans Canada pipeline with his brother (during this time he purchased his first Harley Davidson motorcycle), and at a nickel mine in Thompson, measuring the pH in the nickel flow.

A work-related back injury during his adulthood did not slow him down. Grandpa enjoyed camping, setting snares and would set nets on Lake Manitoba, picking and canning saskatoons, playing bingo, hunting, filleting fish, and traveling everywhere, all with his life partner, Nora.  He enjoyed playing slots, talking with friends on the phone, and also loved watching WWE wrestling on TV. Douglas enjoyed playing pool and would "clean up" at the local bars or pool halls.  He loved his family very much. He always remembered when each of his grandkids’ birthdays were coming up and would make sure they were celebrated with cake, ice cream and gifts.  Everyone who loves and knows him, will remember him for his love of telling stories. Even in his later years, he shared stories of his childhood and about his grandparents, such as how the Sinclair family left Selkirk on a horse and buggy and traveled through the Narrows to settle in Amaranth and later in Gladstone.

Douglas will be greatly and lovingly missed by his daughter Brenna; step-daughter Debbie (Tony) grandchildren, Kiersten (David), Erin (Shane), Magnus, Bryce, Kylan; step-grandchildren, Cynthia (Bradley) and family, Tamara and family, Toni, Tyler, Tara, William, Hailey; brother Dennis; and many cousins and friends.

Douglas was predeceased by his life partner Nora Jane Sanderson nee Roulette; his mother Catherine Sinclair (nee Roulette); father John Joseph “Joseph” Sinclair; brother John Don “Donnie” Sinclair; two older sisters and a brother (who passed while in the Ninette Sanitorium due to TB complications); step-son Derek; niece Cynthia; Sister-in-law Anita Sinclair.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the Brandon General Hospital, the Sandy Bay Health Centre for the care they provided to grandpa.