Gerry Sykes

A Graveside Service for Gerry Sykes was held on September 27, 2017 at the Beaver Lodge Cemetery in Ekalaka with Loyd Townsend officiating.

Gerry passed away on Sunday, September 17, 2017 at Dahl Memorial Healthcare in Ekalaka.

Gerry was born on January 3, 1931 in Miles City; the eldest son of Edwin and Irene (Thompson) Sykes. He grew up in Ekalaka and went to Ekalaka Elementary completing the eighth grade. He lived in Ekalaka with his parents until after his father's death when he and his mother went to live with his brother Charles in Rome, New York. He loved being in Ekalaka, though, and always looked forward to his summer trips home.

Although handicapped, Gerry excelled in both music and what can only be called an absolute memory. In music he had perfect pitch which meant he could hear any sound and identify what the actual note was without the help of a piano or pitch pipe. He also associated each of the 12 key signatures with a specific color, closely ordered to the colors in a rainbow. This is a rare talent even among classical orchestra conductors.

Memory wise, he basically remembered everything that had happened to him and those around him on every day of the last 75 years. When asked what happened on any chosen day, he would first recall what day of week it was and then tell what had happened on that day. He was a living diary for us.

Gerry was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his two brothers, Charles and Harrison, and by nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom he cared for deeply. Gerry loved life and enhanced the life of those who knew him. He will be greatly missed.