The following is a transcript of the eulogy delivered by Bill Penno at the funeral of Rob Sinclair at Knox Presbyterian Church in July, 1990.
I regard this as a humbling experience and a privilege to be able to speak about Rob Sinclair in tribute today.
Rob, as many of you will realise, I have known for almost 53 years. We started school together, we had an involvement together in the Christian community, we went through high school together, we farmed not far apart, our lives were intertwined. Perhaps that was exemplified over this last weekend when we were altogether at a social function on Saturday night, and then at Church as has already been mentioned, on Sunday morning.
Life can change very quickly, but we all treasure the times that we had with Rob and for the things that he shared with us and the things that we did together. This is a special day, not just for those of us who knew him as a very deep and sincere friend, but those of us who knew him as father, loved one and part of the family.
I regard it as a humbling experience to be able to bring to mind some of the things that have occurred during our lives together and the things that Rob communicated to the community. John Hay will be speaking after me and what he says will fit in with the matters that I will be mentioning, because Rob’s involvement was widespread and encompassed a long period of time and together we want to take this opportunity of allowing us just to remember some of those things.
As I said, he was my best friend. On school days, on working days, holidays. There were four of us joined the class at Morven. I well remember those first few days in what we called the “little room” – the small room at Morven Primary School. of the friendly competition and rivalry that existed between the two of us, whether
it was in spelling or arithmetic or on the sporting field or whatever and perhaps we were a spur to each other I remember the rides down the back of the hill, behind where the silos are now, on the farm, on the dobbin, with Harry Cameron – whizzing down that hill and
hoping that the pram wheels didn’t fall off the dobbin. Those are the sort of memories that one has. I remember the smell of the pine trees that used to be around the house, because we only had macrocarpas at our place. Those are the sort of memories that stick.
I remember the years at Waimate High School when Rob went one year longer than I did. For a number of years we both biked in from Morven together — not going on the school bus but riding together each day to school and back along that road. I remember riding with him in and out of the white lines that go down the centre of that main road – perhaps not as much traffic then as there is now. Those are the sort of memories one has with a best friend. Of football, of Easter Camps, of precious times — times when we tried to put the world to rights.
I remember the times when we were both young in the Young Farmers’ Club movement. It was for us both a university experience – in stock judging, hare drives, perhaps most of all in debating. In relation to hare drives I well remember the time when we were in the middle of the night, again on the hill behind the house at Rob’s thank goodness he was driving the truck – we ran over the harrows and they were upside down. I well remember, referring again to the debating experience, for me a very great learning curve — for Rob was a much greater natural speaker than either Noel Dellow or I in those days — and we used to meet at Bill Simpson’s house. About 2 o’clock in the morning we would start to come to grips with the subject and then we would divide it up probably into international, national and local, for the 3 speakers to deal with, Rob was always third speaker. He was quite outstanding. Usually he would gain best speaker for the night. He was brilliant. And if I was leading the team I never put down what Rob was going to speak about for my summary until he had spoken, because he usually never got past the first point, but convinced everybody in a thoroughly efficient way. That was Rob – the man we knew, the developing boy, the person we admired. My best friend.
In the Young Farmers’ Club movement Rob Sinclair held all of the officers in that movement. He rose to the top. He was Dominion President in 1966/67 and I believe one of the most outstanding Presidents that movement has ever had. During this time, he was running the family farm as a young man. A tremendous hurdle was overcome in those days. Rob moved from there to involvement in Federated Farmers and I suppose from this distance some of us forget the long hours and the very heavy involvement he had in those days. Moving from Waimate Branch President, through the Arable Section to involvement at national level. .He was heavily involved in the early 70’s. He also had an involvement with the local A & P Association. Many of us today will remember those Friday nights – District Committee, A & P Association, and Federated Farmers on following Friday nights. Rob was right in there.
Then came his involvement in local body affairs. He was a member of the Waimate Hospital Committee. In 1968 was a member of that Committee for 15 years. Nine years as its Chairman. I well remember going with Rob into some of the meetings from Morven and our realisation many times as we struggled to get that meeting on time, which always started on time (the hospital clock was usually 5 minutes fast) we would discuss the meeting on the way in and analyse on the way out. They were great days and Rob was involved because of his caring concern for people. He was elected to the South Canterbury Hospital Board in 1974 and his association there he finished in 1983. During that time he was Chairman of the House Committee from 1977 on. He was a compassionate person. He cared for people. He had tremendous ability in administration.
It was around this time that Rob Sinclair was selected to travel to the United States on a Rotary scholarship – that was in the late 1960’s.
I would like to say also that Rob had a tremendous love of music. Some of us who were very close to Rob knew that well. He enjoyed part singing. He had a marvellous bass voice. He loved Church music. It seems a little while now since we took part in many part songs together. He was a member of the Operatic Society for some years. He was quite involved in the New Moon in 1972, took a leading role in the Merry Widow 1974. I well remember a concert in the Morven Hall where John Hay, Rob Sinclair and I sang Three Little Maids from School.
Some of these things we might just wonder at, but behind it all was a much deeper person. Rob Sinclair came from a very strong Christian family. He early went to Sunday School, to Bible Class, to all of the things associated with our Church at Morven. He took on a role in his late teens of leadership; he was either leading Sunday School or to a greater extent Youth work in the Morven Church for many years. He was on the Bible Class District Committee. He was on the Lindisfarne Camp Committee – and for those of you who have been to that camp in the Upper Pareora Gorge, you will see some of Rob’s handiwork in those buildings. In 1965 he was a New Zealand delegate to the Asian Youth Assembly in the Phillipines. He was on – the Presbyterian Church’s International Relations Committee for many years. He was on the Council of the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. Locally in the Morven Church he was elected an elder as far back as 1959. He was a lay preacher of distinction and throughout the involvement with the Co-operating Parish with the Anglican people Rob has held a leading position. He has been on the Finance Committee. He had tremendous gifts in pastoral work. “`You know and I know that Rob could look you in the eye and speak very directly about your Christian commitment or about matters of importance. He had tremendous gifts. He was a man of prayer and Rob’s prayer life deepened in the last few years. Of tremendous faith and he believed in prayer.
As well as these things he was very involved in the community in doing a number of behind the scenes work for those less fortunate.
I want to speak just for a moment in conclusion about Rob Sinclair the person. He was a caring, compassionate man. Nothing was a bother to do something for other people. He believed and took literally the fact that others must come before self. He believed in people and their welfare and I believe all of us know that from personal experience. But above all Rob’s family was central. It was number one.
There are three things I wish to say. One is, Rob was a man of character. I read these words not so long ago about character.
“It is not what a man has or even what he does which directly expresses the worth of a man, but what he is.”
That was Robert McKay Sinclair. He was a man of vision. He was a man of high Christian principles who stood by them. He was a pillar in the community. He had a very quick mind. He had the ability to lead with distinction. He was a man of great accomplishments.
Secondly, he was an outstanding communicator. Rob could move crowds with his oratory. He had a particular gift, yet he could look you in the eyes – with his blue eyes meeting yours – in a very close one to one situation. His grasp was sure, his vision was clear, his movement was direct.
Most of all, and the third and last point, he was a Christian friend and father; Some of us remember the days before he was married when he would babysit the Morgan children. When he would have them on the farm. When other friends far and near would be able to appreciate his presence. But to Helen, John, Peter, Michael and Katherine, the family was number one and special.
We think too this morning of Carol and we think also of Mrs Sinclair as we remember Rob’s distinctive and very strong life and John Hay will be speaking in a few moments about Rob’s local involvement following these matters I have mentioned earlier and will speak on behalf of us all to the family.
Peter Marshall once said, “Death is not a wall, but a door”.
So this morning we say thank you to God for Rob Sinclair. When Helen rang and told my wife Jan of Rob’s passing, just on Monday, there was a book open at our telephone. These are some of the words that were there. It was a John Rice book:
“We will meet again, perhaps today,
the dear ones who have passed away,
the loved ones who now softly sleep,
whom Jesus now doth safely keep.”
Thank you Rob Sinclair and thank you God for allowing us to share his life.
