Rachel Sykes

RACHEL (CUPPY) SYKES, 86, of Humboldt, IL passed away at 5:40 P.M. on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana, IL.

Funeral services were held at 1:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 14, 2010 at the Humboldt United Methodist Church. Rev. Jack Woods officiated. Burial was in the Arcola Cemetery. Visitation was held from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at the Edwards Funeral Home in Arcola, IL.

Rachel was born on February 6, 1924 in Humboldt, IL. She was a daughter of Aubert and Elizabeth Eugenie (Logan) Cuppy. She married Charles W. Sykes on June 16, 1951 in Arcola, IL.

She is survived by her husband, Charles W. Sykes of Decatur, IL; five children, David L. Sykes and his wife Martha of Pinellas Park, FL, William C. “Bill” Sykes of Hindsboro, IL, Rebecca J. “Becky” Sykes of Humboldt, IL, Jeffrey A. Sykes and his wife Jacqueline of Arcola, IL and Charlene Bushnell and her husband Terry of Roodhouse, IL. She was also survived by eight grandchildren, Logan Sykes and his wife Misty and Lindsey Sykes, Jessica Wright and her husband Tom and James and Jared Sykes, Ryan Bushnell and his wife Emily, Micah Bushnell and his wife Kristie and Seth Bushnell and his wife Laura and ten great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Logan Sykes.

Rachel graduated as Valedictorian of her eighth grade class in 1937 in Coles County. She graduated from High School in 1941 in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from Milikin University in 1945 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and she graduated from the University of Illinois in 1950 with her Master’s Degree in Social Working.

She had been employed as a social worker for Illinois School of the Deaf, for Jacksonville Developmental Center, for a group home in Macoupan County, and she also worked as a substitute teacher at Illinois College

She was a very active member of the Humboldt United Methodist Church and was a member of the United Methodist Women. She was also a member of the Presbyterian Women in Arcola, IL, the PEO, the Rebekah’s of Humboldt, IL and the Eastern Star in White Hall, IL. She was also an organist for the Presbyterian Church in White Hall, IL and played the piano at the Humboldt United Methodist Church.

Rachel loved writing. She was a free-lance writer and she wrote a column for the (Mattoon/Charleston) Journal Gazette-Times Courier.

Memorials were made to the Humboldt United Methodist Church.