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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to honor the life of Pastor Wallace Wyatt
4Sykes of Second Baptist Church; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Pastor Sykes was born in Starksville, Mississippi
6on December 21, 1923 to the Reverend P.K. and Parkay Marie
7Sykes; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Pastor Sykes moved to Maywood in 1943 and began
9serving at Second Baptist Church as deacon, trustee,
10superintendent of the Sunday church school, director of the
11Baptist Training Union, director of the Shepherd Boys, and
12financial secretary of the church for 12 years; he also sang
13with the Gospel Chorus and The Sanctuary Choir; in 1957, while
14serving at Second Baptist Church and studying at the Chicago
15Baptist Institute, he entered the ministry and was ordained in
161961; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Pastor Sykes is a graduate of Crane Junior College
18in Chicago, Chicago Teachers College, the Chicago Baptist
19Institute, Elmhurst College, and holds an Honorary Doctor of
20Divinity Degree conferred upon him by the Board of Trustees of
21the Easonian Baptist Theological Seminary in Birmingham,
22Alabama in 1965; he has done postgraduate studies at

 

 

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1Northeastern Illinois University and at the Northern Baptist
2Theological Seminary in Lombard; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Second Baptist Church has accomplished a great
4deal under the direction and leadership of Pastor Sykes
5including: the establishment of The Hayden Memorial
6Educational Fund to give scholarships and assistance to boys
7and girls seeking to develop their potential go on to higher
8education, and Pam's Pennies, a fund-raising venture, created
9to serve as a companion to the Hayden Memorial Educational
10Fund; since both of these programs have been initiated, several
11hundred students have gone to college and been encouraged in
12both grade school and high school; in addition, The Maple Tree
13Child Learning Center was established for daycare and the
14development of children, and The Maple Tree Music Center was
15established to aid in the development of children and people
16interested in music; in January of 1997, he formed the Girl and
17Boy Scout Troops for neighboring children, and in May of 1999,
18the Maple Tree Child Learning Center upgraded its services by
19adding a Kindergarten class and after school and senior
20programs; he also established a computer literacy program and
21lab for students within the after school program and purchased
22a new van for members needing assistance who are in
23wheelchairs; in February of 2004, an additional program was
24instituted, The Children's Worship Hour; additional programs
25developed by the him include the establishment of The Talent

 

 

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1and Tutoring Center, the School of Religion for biblical
2instruction and guidance, and The Second Community Crisis
3Center for individuals who have been displaced from housing; he
4also established the Food Ministry and Produce Mobile Ministry
5to feed the hungry; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Since 1961, property was purchased and a parking
7lot developed; in 1975, a new edifice with a sanctuary to
8accommodate the seating of 1200, 35 classrooms for teaching, a
9social hall, and music lab to accommodate 10 students and a
10teacher was erected with parking; under Pastor Sykes's
11leadership, the congregation also redeemed the property of Mrs.
12Maggie Walker, then 101 years old, in 1971; now 3 parking lots
13are available and used; in 2001, the church purchased
14additional property and named it The Assembly Children's
15Ministry of Second Baptist; in 2002, members encouraged the
16pastor to install an elevator for the senior members and the
17handicapped; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Pastor Sykes's additional pastoral duties
19include: visiting the sick and shut-in, providing food for
20those in need, funeral and burial services, marriage
21counseling, weddings, supervising of church activities, church
22administration, providing shelter and clothing for the needy,
23providing bus service for those needing transportation, and
24aiding students in school; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Pastor Sykes's family includes - his children,
2Patricia Jean, Dr. Bobby Wyatt (professor, University of New
3Mexico), George Anthony, Sherry Alysine (graduate, West
4Point), Robert Daniel (graduate, Georgetown University), and
5Brett Steward (graduate, Massachusetts Institute of
6Technology); grandchildren, Winston, Dina, Hasan, Deidre,
7Rhiannon Marie, Geovantie, Gavin, Ariel, and Jonathan Nigel; 3
8great-grandchildren, Hillery, Morgan, and Brandi Nichole; 3
9daughters-in-laws, Judy, Amy, and Diane and one son-in-law,
10Terrace; from his mother, the late Mrs. Parkay Marie Sykes, he
11received unending support and faithful guidance until the very
12end of her life; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Pastor Sykes is still moving forward as a pillar
14in the community, with ideas and plans for the future; this
15year marks the 52th year of him being the Pastor of The Second
16Baptist Church; on March 30, 2007, the 7th Congressional
17District of Illinois, under the leadership of Congressman Danny
18K. Davis, named the Maywood Post Office in his honor; and
 
19    WHEREAS, A celebration was held in honor of Pastor Sykes on
20April 25, 2014 at Second Baptist Church in recognition of his
21life and service; therefore, be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE

 

 

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1NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
2we honor the life of Pastor Wallace Wyatt Sykes, and wish him
3the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5presented to Pastor Sykes as an expression of esteem and
6respect.