Ralph Hill Sykes

He is survived by his beloved wife, Jennifer, in addition to his daughter Kate, son-in-law Hunter, and grandchildren Hunt, Raleigh and Davis; son Sam, daughter-in-law Laura, and grandchildren Sam III and Will; and son Joe, daughter-in-law Haley, and grandchildren Savannah and Stetson. He is predeceased by his parents and sister, Linda.

Ralph was born March 11, 1947, to Rufus and Margaret Sykes and raised with his siblings Peggy Sue, Bob, Linda, and Hilton. He spent his formative years in Louisville, Georgia, Baltimore, Maryland, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina. After graduating from high school in Rocky Mount, where he and the Blackbirds won the 1965 State Championship in Football, he went on to play football his Freshman year at East Carolina University, from where he graduated in 1973.

Ralph Served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War as a Private First Class Radarman, where he was required to operate and maintain the installed radar and electronic warfare equipment. Later, his passion for engineering led him to become an expert in the field of industrial pumps. He became a Partner at Hydro South, Inc, and went on to start his own pump business, Sykes Industrial, in Atlanta, Georgia. He later moved to Dallas in 2017 where he based his consulting business and often traveled nationwide to consult on major pump projects.

While he loved his work and continued working until his last day on Earth, Ralph’s favorite moments were spent with his grandchildren, who called him “Boom Boom,” and with his sports-loving wife, eating one of her famous home-cooked meals while watching a baseball or football game. He is also known for getting kids to yell “ARRR” with him when cheering on his East Carolina Pirates

While being raised a Christian, it wasn’t until later in life that Ralph personally accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and developed a personal relationship with God. The impact of this life-changing decision could be felt by those who knew and loved him and caused his last ten years to be spent full of love, joy, peace and vitality. Ralph was strong until his last breath and spent his last day on Earth working out in the gym and cheering the Rangers on to a win in Game 3 of the World Series. We know he was rejoicing in Heaven two nights later when the Rangers became World Series Champs.

A memorial service and reception will be held Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 2 PM at Sparkman-Hillcrest, 7405 W Northwest Hwy, Dallas, TX 75225. Guests are welcome to wear jeans and boots in honor of Ralph’s favorite attire. Donations can be made to Texas Disabled Veterans at tdva.net, the International Fellowship of Jews and Christians at ifcj.org, or to the charity of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Sykes family.