Funeral services for Gainesville attorney and businessman William I. "Sonny" Sykes, Jr. are scheduled for Tuesday, July 13 at 6 p.m. at Free Chapel Worship Center.
Sykes died Saturday, July 10.
Sykes, who attended Candler Street Elementary School and graduated from Gainesville High School, was a veteran of the United States Navy. He earned a degree in industrial management from Clemson College in 1963.
After working for a decade as cost account manager for Gainesville Mill and New Holland Mill, Sykes opened Gainesville Employment Services, Inc. the very first employment agency in the city of Gainesville. He also founded Gainesville Financial Services, Inc. His first calling, however, was to the legal profession, and in 1974, Sykes graduated from Woodrow Wilson College of Law and opened his law practice in the city of Gainesville that same year.
Sykes was an active member of the Gainesville community and held memberships in the Rotary Club, Chattahoochee Country Club and Elks Club. An avid golfer, Sykes served as chairman of the Tom Paris Golf Tournament for 10 years.
Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of Celebration of Life services for Sonny Sykes, and details are available at this link.
Sykes family requests donations in his memory to the Wesley Warriors Foundation Fund through the North Georgia Community Foundation.
