Silas D. Sinton

Silas D. Sinton, 94, member of a San Luis Obispo County pioneer ranching family, died Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007, in Templeton. Si's grandfather, Bernard Sinsheimer, in partnership with his brother Henry, founded the Sinsheimer Store in 1876 in San Luis Obispo. Over a period of several years Bernard had acquired many ranches in the county, and Si's father, Silas "Dee" Sinton, managed them.

Si, born in San Francisco in 1913, grew up in San Mateo and Hillsborough, Calif., and graduated from Burlingame High School in 1931. He attended UC Berkeley, and graduated in 1935 with a degree in Agricultural Economics. Soon after he moved to the family's Canyon Ranch in Shandon, to help his father manage the family ranches. These included the Spring Ranch in the hills north of Shandon, the Avenales east of Pozo, the Clink near Pozo, and the Beartrap on the eastern slope of the La Panza Range.

His brother, Jim, joined him three years later and they split the management duties, operating the Avenales Land and Cattle Company, the farming and ranching business their grandparents had established in 1924. He built up an old hay mill on the ranch into a cattle-feeding operation which his son, Jack, later modernized and ran for several years.

Si married Phyllis Jack, whose family owned the Cholame Ranch, in 1942. In 1958 Si, whose father had founded Sinton and Brown Company with partner Howard Brown several years before, persuaded the company to buy the ZX Ranch in Southeastern Oregon from the Kern County Land Company. He moved his family to Paisley, Ore., and managed the ranch, which was one of the largest in the West.

They returned to Shandon in 1965 when Sinton and Brown Co. sold the ZX Ranch. Si later ranched in Lamoille, Nev.

When Phyllis died in 1976, Si married her sister, Virginia Tynan, who had been widowed at the same time. She died in 1990.

He then lived in Paso Robles for several years with longtime family friend, Dolores Pond, until her death in 2000. Si later married Donajean McMillan Loftus. The Sinton and McMillan families' bonds of friendship have spanned many decades with a shared love of ranching and the rural environment. Si has spent these last few years visiting the family Clink Ranch at Pozo, and conferring with his son, Jack, and grandson, Scott, on its operation.

Si became a pilot early in life and flew and owned several airplanes during his lifetime. He loved to ski, which he did well into his late eighties. He was an enthusiastic world traveler and toured almost all areas of the world. He was an avid reader to the end of his life and enjoyed discussing books and ideas with all who visited him. He loved his family and also enjoyed his extended family.

Si was a charter member of the San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen's Association, and a founding member of the board of the Paso Robles War Memorial Hospital.

He is survived by his wife, Donajean Sinton; brother, Jim (Norma) Sinton; sons Tom Sinton and Jack (Laurie) Sinton; four grandchildren Anna Sinton, Scott (Shera) Sinton, Rob and Lauren Sinton, and one great-grandchild, Campbell Sinton.

He will be missed by all who were so fond of him.

A private family gathering will be held at a later date.

Kuehl-Nicolay Funeral Home

238-4383

Paso Robles