Charlotte Sinnett, a homemaker and science enthusiast who volunteered for various organizations in the Portland area, died on Monday. She was 95.
Mrs. Sinnett was active with the Maine Audubon Society and took part in its annual bird-breeding survey for many years.
She was remembered by her children Friday as a strong and independent woman who lived life to its fullest.
“She was a wonderful woman,” said her son Everett Sinnett of Rockville, Maryland. “She lived a good long life.”
Mrs. Sinnett graduated from the University of Maine in 1943 with a degree in mathematics. It was there that she met her husband, Clifford Sinnett. The two had a statistics class together.
They were married on Jan. 29, 1944. He served in the Navy during World War II, while she analyzed sonar acoustics at the Underwater Sound Laboratory at Harvard University.
In 1946, the Sinnetts moved to Vannah Avenue in Portland, where they raised three sons.
Her husband worked as an investment adviser, while she stayed home to raise their kids.
A loving and attentive mother, she was fearless, adventurous and devoted to the family, her sons said.
When her husband was called to serve during the Korean War, Mrs. Sinnett traveled from Portland to Japan by train and ship with their 5- and 2-year-old children and an infant in tow. The family spent the next year in Japan.
Chandler Sinnett, the youngest of her sons, shared memories of their summers on Bailey Island. His parents built a cottage on the island in 1957, where Mrs. Sinnett often led her kids on walks to explore tidal pools and marine life. She also shared her passion for science with them.
“She was Mom,” Chandler Sinnett said. “She was always there for you. She helped us explore the world.”
Mrs. Sinnett worked and volunteered at the Maine Audubon Society for more than 10 years. She did office and clerical work, and participated in the annual bird-breeding survey for more than 25 years.
“The scientist in her enjoyed being in nature and observing,” Chandler Sinnett said. “She enjoyed the challenge of trying to identify as many birds as she could in the time permitted.”
Mrs. Sinnett was active in the Woman’s Literary Union and various garden clubs, including the Longfellow Garden Club. She enjoyed cooking and baking, knitting and playing games. As recently as a few months ago, she was playing a video game on Wii Fit.
Mrs. Sinnett and her husband, who died in 2010, were married for 66 years. They enjoyed spending summers at Bailey Island and traveled to Puerto Rico every February. They made many lifelong friends there.
“Both of my parents were fabulous examples of how to live your life,” Everett Sinnett said.
Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:
Twitter: MelanieCreamer
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