William Donald Sykes, age 70, of Florence, died April 30, 2014, at home with his family after an extended illness. Visitation will be today from 6-9 p.m. at Spry-Williams Funeral Home, Florence. The funeral will be Saturday, May 3, at 11 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Wade Franks officiating. Burial will be at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens.
Don was born in Mobile, Alabama to the late Cullen and Gladys Sykes. He worked until retirement as a union insulator for Local 78.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife of 40 years, Shirley Sykes, and brother-in-law, Gary Morrison.
Survivors include his wife, Eloise Sykes, who never left his side during his illness; daughters, Sandy Campbell and Teresa Collins; and son, Derek Sykes and wife, Teresa; sisters, Barbara Peace and husband, Robert, and Carol Morrison; brother, Bobby Sykes and wife, Barbara; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be a few of his close friends, Truman Richards, Greg Rich, J. D. Bullard, Frank Mecke, Matt Brown, and John Underwood.
The family would like to give a special thanks to all the hospice care workers at Gentiva Hospice Care, along with all the friends, who were at his family’s side with a special thanks to Joyce Ragan and Tony Risner.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society .
