Darlyne E. Sykes, 84 of Litchfield,died Thursday afternoon, May 2, 2024, at her residence in Litchfield.
Visitation will be held on Monday, May 6, at 4 to 7 p.m. at Litchfield Family Funeral Service, located at 700 S. State St. in Litchfield. Funeral Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7, at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Elm Wood Cemetery.
Mrs. Sykes was born Sept. 18, 1939, in Granite City, a daughter of the late William Jacob and Mable Mae Hodshire Greer. Mrs. Sykes graduated from Granite City High School with the class of 1957. She married Donald Pink Sykes on March 15, 1963, in Granite City, and he preceded her in death on Nov. 29, 2007.
Mrs. Sykes was an amazing woman; she loved her large family, her many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As the head of her household, she had always been a caretaker for those she loved. But no one felt this more than her late husband, who was ill for several years before his passing. She had a big heart, which she used to take care of her family and so many others. Some of the people she helped in her life were those from her 16 years as the clerk of the St. Louis Area Support Center for Inbound Transportation and her many customers from when she ran her craft store. Those are only a small number of people whom her love and care have helped and touched over the years.
She had always enjoyed talking to and meeting new people. Mrs. Sykes had an amazing ability to carry on a conversation with anyone, quickly becoming friends with new people. Whenever anyone was feeling down, she would often crack a joke to make them smile. She was always there for her good friends and family. Mrs. Sykes embodied the saying, “There are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet.”
Besides her social skills and abilities as a caretaker, Mrs. Sykes had a passion in life that started in her youth and never faded. Even in high school, everyone could tell that she had a passion for art. She loved it so much that she eventually owned her own small crafts and ceramics shop and sold her works at a booth in a craft mall. She even ran Don Dar Country Crafts in Walshville. She painted amazing works of art, and her ceramics were truly works of wonder. But she also had more leisurely activities she liked, from reading books in her free time to spending hours on various jigsaw puzzles. Mrs. Sykes led an active and colorful life full of friends and family, whom she cared for and loved more than anything.
Mrs. Sykes is survived by her daughters; Kimberly Applegate of Litchfield, Sherrie Richard of Litchfield, Jamie Kingery of Hillsboro, Michelle Klossing of Litchfield and Christie (Gary) Law of Litchfield; 19 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Sykes was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald Pink Sykes; son, Donald Pink Sykes, Jr.; brothers Richard, Bert, William and Johnny Greer; sisters Virginia Conklin, Rose Richardson, Betty Milam, June Horstmeyer, Mabel Mae Greer and Ida Sue Greer; grandchildren Mikey Wayne Sykes, Mark Allen Birkenkamp, Jr. and Travis John Declue.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Please visit www.litchfieldffs.com to leave condolences or light a candle in her memory.
