Mrs. Martha Sykes

SYKES, Mrs. Martha - Age - 92, passed away Thursday, July 9, 2020 in San Antonio, TX. Family hour 1:30 PM Wednesday, July 22, 2020 from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., with funeral service commencing at 2:00 PM. Interment Flint Memorial Park Cemetery, G-9506 N. Dort Hwy., Mt. Morris, MI. Mrs. Sykes will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home and may be viewed from 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Tuesday with family present from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Martha Hairston Sykes entered this world on April 21, 1928. She was the second of seven children, three daughters and four sons, born to Dallas and Ella Mae Hairston. She came of age in Crawford Mississippi, learning how to navigate the subtleties of the Jim Crow era with her own Southern brew of humility, tenacity and pride. At an early age, Martha found herself in Christ and accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. She was baptized at Charity Missionary Baptist Church in Crawford, Mississippi. As a child and into her final years, Martha maintained an immense amount of awe and respect for her parents, especially her mother who was one of the few literate blacks in town. She recounted with pride stories from her childhood of her mother teaching other adults and children in the community how to read. On December 20, 1947, Martha married her lifetime companion, George Sykes, and soon gave birth to three sons, George Jr., J.B. and Mack Quinton. In 1953, George and Martha left an oppressive and tumultuous Mississippi and joined the Great Migration of African Americans moving from the South to the north and west parts of the country. Pulled to Michigan during the economic expansion of the auto industry, they settled in Flint with their three young sons and over the next few years, added two more sons, Cliffton and Larry, to their family. Martha, also known as “Tudda” to those who knew her from Mississippi, was devoted to her family. Her sensible and social nature transformed everywhere she was into home. In Flint, she remained the heart of family functions, and her presence, alongside her cooking was always the main ingredient. Her effortlessly scrumptious Southern dishes and desserts remain unmatched. A warm and inviting host, Martha’s definition of family extended to all those she met. If you had any “Hairston blood” or acquaintance you were kin, and she had a responsibility to take care of you. She united with Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in 1957 and continued her Christian walk for more than 60 years. As a Senior Usher, she was a fixture at Macedonia and could be seen bustling to greet and keep up with old friends, family and newcomers in her simple, yet tastefully elaborate church hat. She filled the choir stands – and her kitchen – with her soft soprano singalongs of gospel hymns. Despite her gentle demeanor, Martha was a stern mother providing strict guidance to her five boys. For decades, her home has remained a safe house and sanctuary for generations of her children and grandchildren. In her final years, she took pride in the clarity of her mind and memory, often recounting very specific stories of her childhood and the 67 years she spent with her life partner, George Sykes, Sr. She looked forward to her Saturday night rituals of rolling her hair and doing her nails in preparation for attending church on Sunday, and the few, but cherished opportunities she had to taste the original Southern delicacies that sent her mind traveling back to Michigan, to Mississippi and to the friends and family she hosted for so many strong years. Martha Hairston Sykes completed her circle of life in this world at Las Colinas of Westover Skill Nursing Facility on July 9, 2020 at the age of 92, in San Antonio, Texas with her son George, his wife Rethon and their family. Today, she dons her earthly crown and lifts her soft soprano triumphantly in the house prepared for her by her Heavenly Father. Martha Hairston Sykes will live on through her four sons, George Jr. (Rethon) of San Antonio, Texas, J.B. (Sheri), Cliffton (Barbara) and Larry (Kimberlee). all of Flint, Michigan; her sister Ella Mae Bransford of Flint, Michigan; Martha’s extended family of three sister-in-law’s Hattie Hairston of Flint, Michigan, Mary L. Sykes, of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Willie Bell Sykes of Brooksville, Mississippi; eighteen grandchildren; fifty-five great-grandchildren; forty-nine great-great-grandchildren; a host of nieces and nephews; numerous cousins and many friends will also cherish their days spent with her. Martha was preceded in death by her husband, George Sykes Sr.; son, Mack Q. Sykes; parents Dallas and Ella Mae Hairston; sister, Mollie Hairston; and brothers, Dallis, Sam, John, and Robert Hairston. The family expresses special thanks to Karen Johnson, Tamyra Richard, Sharena Richard, Brenda Peters, Dr. Tahira P. Alves and the DaVita Dialysis family for their undying devotion to providing medical care for Martha.

Mrs. Martha Sykes

April 21, 1928 - July 9, 2020