Nelda Yvonne Sykes

Nelda Yvonne Sykes

Spokane,  WA

Born:  1940

Died: 2026 

Pacific Northwest Cremation and Funeral

Spokane WA

Upcoming Service:

Gillies Funeral Home

Graveside Memorial Service

July 31, 2026

3:00 pm

Sumas Cemetery, Sumas Washington

Nelda Sykes, age 86, passed away at the Hospice of Spokane, Hospice House

Nelda was born on March 24, 1940 in Sumas, WA . She was preceded in death by her parents, Ira Perry and Gladys Robbins; her beloved husband, Dan Sykes; two sisters Naomi Evans,and Judy Perry; a brother Lowell Brown; and a stepson Louis Sykes.  She is survived by her four children, Patricia Schmidt, Kelly Koelle, Gregory Petrisor, Shannon Adams and five stepchildren, Gregory Sykes, Tresha Kuhn, Jeffery Sykes, Timothy Sykes, and Sharnell Kokojan; ten grandchildren, Desirée Holter, Natasha McCanna, Justin Ricaurte, Jonathon Ricaurte, Jacqueline Ricaurte, Kody Prucha, Alisha Schulz, Alexis Hogan, Juliet Petrisor, Ashley Petrisor; twenty-two step grandchildren, Danny Sykes, Stephen Heltne, Jessica Yates, Greg Bray, Tonya Zeran, Amanda Mustain, Bobby Sykes, Michael Sykes, Christina Kochendorfer, Amy Hill, Tiffany Torres, Crystal Starlight, André Kokojan, Chamille Kokojan, Loren Winters, Lancelot Kokojan, Timothy Sykes Jr., Samantha Sykes, Jacob Sykes,  Calysta Sykes and Jack Sykes and many great grandchildren!

Nelda grew up on a dairy farm in Sumas, where she and her extended family worked tirelessly together, supplying milk to the Darigold Company.  After the long days of hard work were done, Nelda enjoyed recounting her memories of going to the grange, watching her dad serve as the caller for square dancing, and listening to her mom sing.   Nelda graduated from Nooksack Valley High School in 1958.

After high school, Nelda moved to Seattle, where she worked for the Great Northern Railway mapping the land surrounding the railroad lines for future logging and homesteading. It was during her time living in Seattle that she met her first husband, John Petrisor.  Together they started a family, and Nelda soon became  a dedicated homemaker, lovingly raising her four children.

In 1976, Nelda married Dan Sykes, who brought six children to their union.  Shortly after they were married, the family moved to Prosser, Washington, where Nelda embraced her new full-time role raising their blended family. Once the children grew up and left home, she worked alongside Dan at his business, Nor'West Electric.  Upon retirement, they moved to a farm in Marlin, Washington, where they raised sheep and chickens.

An enthusiastic hobbyist, Nelda spent her leisure time gardening, baking, crocheting, painting, performing needlepoint, and solving puzzles.  She also possessed a lifelong passion for historical fiction novels.  Deeply rooted in her faith, Nelda was a devoted and an active member of the Church of God Christian Fellowship.  She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of nearly 44 years, Dan, in 2020.  In her final years, she resided in Spokane with her daughter, Shannon, until she succumbed to colon cancer on May 14, 2026.

There will be a small graveside memorial for friends and family on July 31, 2026 at 3:00 pm at the Sumas Cemetery in Sumas WA.