"Just a Thought" Column continues in La Prensa of SA, 7-7

Just a Thought: 100 year-old William Sinkin
By Steve Walker

For 11 weeks I have been writing about local and national Hispanic icons I have interviewed or known for years. This week we take a turn to someone non-Hispanic who has literally been around as an icon for 100 years. He is known as a community activist for equality, international cooperation and alternative energy in San Antonio. It is none other that William Sinkin better known as Bill.

In May Mr. Sinkin celebrated his 100^th birthday at the Skyline at the University of the Incarnate Word with long time and short time friends. None could legitimately say they knew him as a baby since none of those present were born themselves. It is safe to say he was the oldest person in the room.

His son Lanny was by his side the entire night as well wishers shook his hand, visited with him as he told stories from back in the day. Since Lanny and I are the same age, I commented to Lanny that Mr. Sinkin looked better than we did. Lanny smiled and agreed.

Anyone who was somebody attended the celebration as well as those of us who are still aspiring to be somebody eventually. Former Mayors Henry Cisneros and Lila Cockrell along with current Mayor Julian Castro were on hand to wish the birthday boy congratulations as well as community leaders, business people, and admirers.

I personally became aware of him in the mid nineties as a solar energy visionary, attending a number of luncheons and other related events in the last ten years at the Pearl Stable. He talked about solar energy long before anyone else even thought about it. 

As a Democratic Party precinct chair for over 66 years, for the two-step primary voting process, he was elected a precinct chair in 1942 and stepped down in 2008. He set a record for Bexar County.

He is well known for working to improve the community by opening up opportunities for people systematically denied. Most people are unaware he co-founded Goodwill of San Antonio in 1945 to help those with physical and mental challenges to find employment.

As Chair of the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) from 1949-53, he also worked to increase minority participation in local government agencies. He hired the first woman executive director of SAHA.

As a banker he controlled the Texas State Bank in the late 60s which catered to minority representation and small business lending. One of his many contributions included founding the Urban Coalition of San Antonio also in the 60s for low income white communities and communities of color to address economic issues.

Mr. Sinkin is also known with his active involvement with HemisFair and the 1968 HemisFair exposition. As a college student in Ft. Worth at the time I came down to visit my mother and for the opening celebrating the 250^th anniversary of the founding of San Antonio. I wished I had known him then.

In all the time I have had the privilege to visit and converse with him over the years, he has been articulate and gracious to a fault. I was privileged to cover his 95th and 98^th birthdays as well as his 100^th. 

Looking back at all the photos I have taken of him since I became a photo blogger, I am amazed how he has not aged at all. It must be clean living. To many more years, I salute you Mr. Bill Sinkin.

Anyway, as always, what I write is “Just a Thought.”

Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and former Justice of the Peace and Journalist.