Arthur (Art) E. Sykes Jr. 1936 - 2017 

Arthur (Art) E. Sykes Jr. was a 1954 graduate of Wadsworth High School. Art lettered in football, basketball, and baseball, and was a member of the National Honor society, choir, Glee Club, and Barbershop Quartet.   He was a member of the 1954 WHS baseball team that was inducted into the Medina County Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Art was a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.   At BGSU he played football and baseball, was treasurer of his fraternity, and the first Afro-American Air Force ROTC graduate.   After military service, Art worked with the Defense Department and with the Social Security Administration.   Post graduate work in business-public administration was completed at the University of Akron, Governors State University (Illinois) and Kansas State University.

Art has been an outstanding Afro-American pioneer in social, business, and academic areas.   Hired by Jos. T. Ryerson Steel CO. in 1965, Art had an 18 year career in production management.   A feature article, "Hard Hat Boss" in May 1973 issue of Ebony Magazine, recognized Art as the first Afro-American steel plant superintendent in America.

He began a new career in college facilities management in 1982 working at The College of DuPage (Illinois), Kansas State University, and Peralta Community College District (Oakland, CA).    From 1991-1995 Art served as the Associate Superintendent of Schools of the Kansas City Missouri School district, responsible for maintenance, operations, security, and engineering.   And Art, served as Director of College Facilities Management with Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas, from 1997 until retirement in 2014.

Art played baseball in the NEMONT independent Baseball League and also in the Midwest Pro Baseball League.   He had a great sports officiating career.  In 1965, he helped establish the Metropolitan Officials Association of Chicago.

He spent 30 years as a high school and college basketball and baseball official.
 
Art served 5 years on the United Methodist North Texas Conference Board of Directors.

Art is survived by his son, Arthur III and his daughter Alyse (Sykes) Seals.

robertsfuneralhomes.com in Ocala FL handled arrangements. 
 




Art Sykes
Wadsworth High School
Graduating Class of 1954  

WHS Grizzly Basketball Team, 1953-54.  From left: Art Sykes, Tom Marrin, Gene Files, Bruce Turner, Jerry McEntee, Tom Sykes, Mr. Krauss (Coach).
 

WHS Grizzly Football Team, 1953.  Row 1: Livengood (Mgr), Dressler, Swigart, Snyder, Marrin, Butdorf, Kime, Sykes, Kallgren, Freed, Earley.  Row 2: Mr. Oross (Coach), Kilmer, Christian, King, Ely, Takacs, Pisanelli, West, Christner, Leatherman, Kreider, Dennison, Heath, Moore.  Row 3: Mr. Barton (Coach), Arpad, Burkholder, Pahlau, Long, Wolford, Files, Gossage, Steele, Campbell, Joachim, Shaffer, Miracle.  Row 4: Dean (Mgr), Martin, Gordon, Hontert, Rothacker, Sheller, Williamson, Held, Welty, Barnard, Spicer, Jessell (Mgr), Mr. Doan (Coach)

WHS Grizzly Baseball Team, 1954.  Row 1: Krout, Foreman, Ely, McGill, Dressler, Libert, Gardner, Long, McEntee.  Row 2: Goldstein (Mgr), Spicer, T. Sykes, Marrin, Turner, Ferrara, Moore, Dennison, Heath, Good (Asst. Mgr).  Row 3:  Mr. Lyren (Coach), Christner, A. Sykes.
 
WHS Choir (Men).  Row 1: Earley, Koon, L. Moore, Heberling, Hall, Kalgren, Christner.  Row 2: R. Moore, Heath, Kilmer, Sykes, Mast, Hofer, Joachim.  Row 3: Rothacker, Pisanelli, Rivers, Vough, J. Newcomer, Spicer, Mr. Sears (Director).  Row 4: King, C. Newcomer,  Campbell, Burkholder,  Shultz, Anderson, Takacs. 
_____________________________________________________________  
Julie Batey  (WHS 1985), Chair, Wadsworth High School Alumni Association. 524 Broad Street, Wadsworth OH 44281.  
Past obituaries, class information, and alumni news is available at www.wadsworthalumni.com.  Please contact us at whsalumni.1@gmail.com. To view WCTV television programs featuring Wadsworth High School and other Wadsworth news, go to http://my.pegcentral.com.   Please consider becoming a supporting member of the Alumni Association by sending a check addressed to "WHS ALUMNI ASSOC."  for $10 (annual dues) or $100 (lifetime dues) to Sally Porter, WHSAA Treasurer, 524 Broad Street, Wadsworth, OH 44281.  Memorial donations in honor of the deceased may also be sent to the WHS Alumni Association at the address above.