Ronald "Ron" Sykes, age 83, passed away April 11, 2025. Ron was born and raised in Philadelphia. He grew up in the Frankford section of the city. He attended Frankford High School, playing baseball and football and graduating to Temple University on a football scholarship. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in History from Temple.
Ron pursued a business career. He spent 54 years in the field of Human Resources starting as an employment clerk for General Motors. His career included serving as a labor relations representative; a District HR Manager in the milk and ice cream industry; various divisional HR leadership positions; and as the top Human Resource Officer for F&R Lazarus, Service Merchandise, Stride Rite Corporation, Jordan Marsh, Abraham & Strauss, Macy’s East, and the Limited Stores Division and Limited Too/Justice.
After briefly retiring in 2007, Ron returned to become a consultant and subsequently Chief Human Resource Officer for the Schottenstein Stores Corporation. He retired in 2016 in grateful appreciation for his final 10 years with the Schottenstein Stores organization.
Ron enjoyed spending time on family vacations with his wife and their four sons. He loved playing golf, traveling with his wife, singing barbershop, and doing his own investing. Ron coached Little League soccer, football, and baseball, was a pack leader for a local Cub Scout group, and served on the Board of Directors for the New Albany Foundation for three years. He also enjoyed hosting annual dinners with his extended family on both the Sykes and Law sides.
Ron is survived by his wife of 60-plus years, Patricia Lynn Sykes; Jeffrey and Stephanie Sykes and Jacob Levy, son, daughter-in-law, and grandson; Scott and Stacy Sykes, son and daughter-in-law; Mark Sykes and Jennifer Burko, son and partner; Brian P. Sykes, son preceded in death; Susan Sykes, sister-in-law; Roy and Barbara Law, brother and sister-in-law; and nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews, and great grandnieces and nephews from both the Sykes and Law families. He is also survived by his lifelong closest friend and surrogate brother, Clifford Mingle.
Family and friends may gather on Friday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Worthington United Methodist Church (600 High St., Worthington, OH 43085). A Memorial Service will directly follow visitation, starting at 12 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/give/memorials-and-dedications.html
