Alan Sinton, 88, of Kennett Square, died peacefully with his family by his side Friday, July 29, at the Pocopson Home, in West Chester. He was the husband of Mary Elizabeth (Willis) Sinton, with whom he shared 68 years of marriage.

After his parents, the late Frederick William and the late Josephine (Williamson) Sinton emigrated to America from Northern Ireland, Alan was born in 1928 in Detroit, Mich. At the outset of the Great Depression they returned to the family homestead, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, where he lived his formative years, met and married his beautiful wife, Mary Elizabeth, and where their first four children were born.

After permanently moving back to the United States in 1954, four more children were born. Alan was an amateur ‘Ham Radio’ operator, spent some time boating and sailing at the Jersey Shore and on the Chesapeake Bay and enjoyed watching the Philadelphia Phillies. However, his true love and passion was spending time with his beloved wife, Mary Elizabeth, all his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends at his cherished summer home on the Sassafras River in Galena, Md. Many a day & night were spent there collecting beautiful memories.

He was a past member of Washington Memorial Pipe Band in Wayne; Masonic Lodge #475, and Kennett Square Golf & Country Club. Alan and Mary were also host parents of Ulster Project Delaware, an organization that fosters firm friendships and promotes tolerance, reconciliation and understanding between different groups in Northern Ireland. Alan and Mary, along with friends Bobby and Mary Lou Maucher, founded the Unicorn Restaurant & Pub (Half Moon today) in 1989.

One of his first jobs after moving back to the states was with the Sun Shipyard, Chester. This was followed by a position in the electronics division of the Paul Morrow Co., Wilmington, which had a major Department of Defense contract to contribute to the NASA X-15 project. He also directed the air conditioning division of a prominent heating and air conditioning company in Delaware. He then founded Alan Sinton, Mechanical & Electrical Contractors in 1971 in Mendenhall, and then incorporated in 1978 as Alan Sinton, Ltd. Today the business is owned and operated by his son, Bill Sinton, as Sinton Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc.

Alan was a pioneer in the HVAC industry. He was instrumental in helping develop a unique Air Conditioning system for the mushroom industry, the ‘WeatherKing’ Mushroom Climate Control Unit. He was an early adopter in the application of GeoThermal heating and cooling systems. He was also involved in designing & supplying large heating & air conditioning systems in New York City including the Empire State Building.

In addition to his wife, Alan is survived by three sons, Alan Fred Sinton, Robert Sinton (Anita), and Bill Sinton (Karen); five daughters, Hester O’Gara (Jim), Diana Zahner (Jim), June Scheffler, Carol Sinton-Shimpeno (Michael) and Christina Sinton Gorman (Martin); one sister, Gladys Richmond; dozens of nieces & nephews and 26 grandchildren: Sarah, Lizzie, Jessie, Annie, Kelly, Colleen, Alison, Rachel, Sean, Pat, Eddie, Bobby, Eric, Will, Alex, Sevan, Alena, Nina, Beau, Andrew, Drew, Matthew, Jamie, Mallory, Aodhán, and Rónán; (9) Great-Grandchildren: Hope, Dillon, Caeden, Brody, Drake, Maxwell, Tristan, Annabella, and Adrianna.

He was predeceased by two brothers, Theodore Sinton and John Sinton; and one sister, Hester McMurray.

You are invited to visit with Alan’s family and friends from 7-9 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 4, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, Inc., 250 W. State St., Kennett Square, PA  19348, 610.444.4116. An additional visitation is offered from 9-10 a.m., Friday, Aug. 5 at Hamorton United Methodist Church, 1052 E. Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, PA  19348. His funeral service will follow at 10 a.m.  Interment will be in Longwood Cemetery, Kennett Square. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Kennett Area Senior Center, 427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square, PA 19348.  To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecocares.com