William "Bill" D. Sykes

William “Bill” D. Sykes, 81, of Jonesboro passed away on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at St. Bernards Medical Center.

He was born February 10, 1933, in Jacksonville, Florida, to the late Taft D. and Louia B, Sykes. He was in his first semester at University of Tennessee when his unit of the Navy was activated during the Korean War.

He was a private pilot and an avid scuba diver so the sky and the ocean were his play grounds. His vocation was sales of heavy trucks. He was sales manager at several Ford Heavy Truck facilities in Tennessee and Arkansas. In 1982 he opened Sykes Truck & Equipment Co., Mid-South Mixers, Inc. and Sykes Foreign Sales Corp.

The great joy of his life was missions. He made numerous trips to Guatemala to purchase land for a church and helped with the building. Also a trip was made with the Gideons International in which many scriptures were distributed. He twice traveled to Africa on mission with the church and the Gideons. Currently he was serving as a CRA at Grimes Prison in Newport.

In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by one son, W. Michael Sykes of Portugal.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Eleanor L. Sykes; daughter, Sheryl Sykes Lady both of Jonesboro; grandchildren, Maj. Matthew Lady (Tara) of Little Rock, Daniel Lady (Yolima) of Overland Park, Kansas, Rebekah Lady of Jonesboro, Rachael Sykes of Nashville, TN, Aaron Sykes (Kristy) of Fayetteville; and 7 great grandchildren.

Family will receive friends Friday evening from 6-8pm at Emerson Funeral Home. All other services will be private with Emerson Funeral Home in charge.