SR0775 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0775 LRB100 13595 MST 28215 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Reginald Sykes, who passed away on July 25, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sykes was born in Chicago to Mattie Bell (Thomas) Williams and Larry James Sykes on September 5, 1939; he graduated from Richard T. Crane Medical Preparatory High School, where he played baseball and developed a love of science; he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee, where he met and married Robbie Jean Mangum; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sykes joined the Chicago Police Department in the early 1960s and became an officer in the newly established Gang Tactical Unit; having witnessed the impact of economic and educational inequality within his community, he became determined to work to make things better and decided to further his education by obtaining a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago and a medical doctorate from Northwestern University; he was awarded major fellowships in psychiatry from the American Psychiatric Association and the National Institute of Mental Health; he worked at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital and completed his psychiatric residency at The University of Chicago Medical Center; he served as executive director for the Mid-America Chapter of the American Red Cross; he worked for Abbott Laboratories, reviewing medical and scientific studies to modify and approve clinical drug trials in both the United States and Canada; while serving as chairman of the Dialysis Strategy Committee at Abbott, he helped organize, identify, and develop new products, supervising clinical trial drug testing for dialysis patients; he then started his own firm, Quality Research Services, Inc., that identified and recruited diverse African American participants for important life-saving clinical trials; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sykes was a member of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church; he also visited Apostolic Church of God in Christ; he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and an avid fisherman; at least four times a year, he and his good friend, Walter Dale "Uncle Butch", went to Onalaska Wisconsin, where legend has it that a giant 15-pound Northern Pike once found its way on to the end of his hook; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sykes was preceded in death by his wife, Robbie, and his parents; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sykes is survived by his children, Regina Sykes (Stephen Hawkins), Rhonda Sykes-Willis (Gregory), Reginald Sykes II (Renee), and Michael Shelton; his grandchildren, Robbie, Raven, Imani, Robynn, and Reginald III; his brother, Larry Sykes; his very dear and close friends that were like brothers, Joe Davenport, Walter Dale, Vance Kimber, Dr. Jim Miller, and former mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, Willie Harrington; his good friend, Shirley Cockerham; his caretaker, Chasity Daniels; and numerous friends from coast to coast; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dr. Reginald Sykes, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Sykes as an expression of our deepest sympathy.