Margaret “Marge” Sykes of Skaneateles passed away Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at home under Hospice care and with her loving family nearby watching over her.
Marge grew up in the Hawley Avenue area of Syracuse attending St. Vincent DePaul High School. She retired as a secretary at General Electric in Syracuse.
Marge was a member in St. Patrick Church in Jordan and was active in Altar and Rosary, food pantry and Bible study. She treasured the many friendships resulting from these activities. She also volunteered frequently at the food pantry at Northside Ministries of Assumption Church on North Salina Street in Syracuse. She recently was connecting with the Secular Order of the Franciscans Road to Emmaus Ministry of Syracuse.
Marge especially enjoyed the luncheons she shared with her St Vincent’s graduation classmates.
Marge was a family person. So many memorable weekends and vacations were spent with family at the cottage at Bobs Lake in the Land of Lakes in South Frontenac, Ontario.
She enjoyed hiking, bird watching, boating and gardening. She was a longtime member of the Skaneateles Garden Club and a member with her husband Bob of the New York Forest Owners Association NYFOA.
Marge and Bob enjoyed operating Fox Ridge Bed & Breakfast in their home for 23 years.
She and Bob enjoyed a few recent trips to Florida to help break up the long upstate winters, and to visit dear friends and relatives there.
Marge is survived by her husband Bob; children Chris Couse of Galeville, Jim Couse (Michelle) of Skaneateles, David Couse of Lyncourt, and Mary Carroll (Rich) of Liverpool; stepsons Robert Sykes Jr. of Skaneateles and Rusty Sykes of House Springs Missouri; grandchildren Kaylee, Brendan, Trevor, Grace, Lainie, Aiden, Malia, Finnan and Sophia; a brother Dave Mancini and a sister Carol (Richard) Brostek.
She was predeceased by her parents Leonard and Rose (Pignalberi) Mancini.
Calling hours will be 4-7 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Saturday, March 7, in St. Patrick’s Church of Jordan.
Donations may be made to Franciscan Northside Ministries Food Pantry at Assumption Church 808 N. Salina Street Syracuse, NY 13208, or to the Shepard Settlement Cemetery c/o Town of Skaneateles 24 Jordan Street Skaneateles, NY 13152.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.
