HR1121 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1121 LRB100 22148 MST 40555 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Rev. Wallace Wyatt Sykes, who passed away on May 19, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Sykes was born in Starkville, Mississippi on December 21, 1923; he moved to Maywood in 1943 and joined Second Baptist Church; he entered the ministry in 1957 and studied at the Chicago Baptist Institute; he was ordained in 1961 and become pastor a year later; he also studied at Crane Junior College in Chicago, the Chicago Teachers College, the Chicago Baptist Institute, and Elmhurst College; he did postgraduate studies at Northeastern Illinois University and the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard; in 1965, he was given an honorary doctorate from the board of trustees of the Easonian Baptist Theological Seminary in Birmingham, Alabama; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Sykes was the longtime pastor of Second Baptist Church in Maywood; he retired from pastoral duties in 2017, a role in which he served for nearly 60 years; prior to his time as pastor, he served as deacon, church trustee, superintendent of the Sunday School department, choir member, and as the church's financial secretary for 12 years, among many other roles; and

WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Rev. Sykes, Second Baptist Church grew into the town's most prominent church; Sundays featured regular offerings for the Hayden Memorial Educational Fund, which provided college scholarships to young congregants, and Pam's Pennies, a fundraiser designed to complement the scholarship fund; the church also established the Maple Tree Child Learning Center, a daycare and nursery housed in a building next to the church's current sanctuary; and

WHEREAS, The influence of Rev. Sykes was felt beyond the walls of his church; Maywood named a portion of Washington Boulevard after him, and in 2007 the Maywood Post Office was named in his honor; in 2014, the Illinois House of Representatives adopted a resolution commemorating his 52nd pastoral anniversary; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Rev. Wallace Wyatt Sykes, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Rev. Sykes as an expression of our deepest sympathy.