Della Sophie Sykes, 92, passed away at her home in Melbourne Florida on Oct. 3, 2019. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri on April 11, 1927. Della was one of 7 children. of the late Paul and Victoria Sapa, immigrants from Poland. She spent her childhood in Blue Earth Minnesota on the family farm. As a young adult she moved to Philadelphia, Pa. where she met her husband of 49 years, the late John Aloysius Sykes, who was a WWII and Korean War veteran. She is survived by two children, Linda Eileen Esten (Guy) of Melbourne Florida and Richard John Sykes (Jo-Lynn) of Egg Harbor Township, NJ.
After her husband John passed in 1999 she moved to Florida to live near her daughter. Della’s hobbies and interests included gardening and flowers. Her front yard was always the talk of her neighborhood of East Bay Plantation. She also enjoyed sewing, driving her new red Ford Fusion to her favorite department stores, and making huge pots of chicken and vegetable soup to share with her neighbors and daughter. She also had a special bond with her daughters golden retriever Summer, and loved feeding her ice cubes and visiting with her. Della was a very devoted mother and wife and always put her family first. She will be greatly missed by her friends, neighbors, and children.
A Gathering will take place on Friday October 11th, from 10am until the time of service at 11am, at Adams-Perfect Funeral Homes, 1650 New Rd, Northfield, NJ 08225. A burial will take place immediately following at the Atlantic County Veterans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Cancer Research Institute, 29 Broadway,New York, NY 10006. Arrangements made by Adams-Perfect Funeral Home, Northfield, NJ and Ammen Family Funeral Home, Melbourne, Fl.