Obituary for Carrie Helen Sykes
Carrie Helen Sykes passed away on January 18, 2021. She was born on January 7, 1942 in Baltimore, MD to the late Herman and Helen (nee Burgess) Sykes.
She attended grade school at Saint Francis Xavier School, Baltimore, MD and received her diploma on June 10, 1956. She then graduated from St. Francis Academy and received her H.S. diploma.
After graduation, she worked at Westinghouse at Friendship Airport (now Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) and then worked as a microfilm technician at the Social Security Administration Headquarters.
To pursue her life-long dream to become a nurse, she attended the old Provident Hospital’s Helene Fuld School of Nursing (1972-74), and earned her L.P.N. Today, the nursing school is associated with Coppin State University.
After graduation, she was hired as a Psychiatric Nurse for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Carrie worked at Crownsville and Spring Grove Psychiatric Hospitals. She then became the department's first Health Facilities Surveyor Nurse for the Developmental Disabilities Unit and later at Assisted Living Unit, inspecting facilities throughout the State of Maryland until she retireon June 1, 2015.
During her 41 year nursing career, she completed her Associate's degree at the Community College of Baltimore in June, 1985 and becoming an R.N. Carrie then completed her bachelor’s degree a few years later at the Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Carrie was a devout Roman Catholic and member of St. Francis Xavier Church, St. Ann's Catholic Church, St. Mary of the Assumption Church and finally Sacred Heart.
She volunteered in numerous church activities and served as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. She loved to retreat and renewal programs,and traveled to Holy Shrines and Sanctuaries in Europe and also Toronto, Canada. Her favorite trip was to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal.
She loved to read books on the lives of Saints. Her favorite Saint was St. Padre Pio. She read all of his books and loved to quote him.
"In the spiritual life, the more you run the less you get tired; moreover, peace, the preclude to eternal joy, will come upon us, and we shall be happy and strong according to the extent that we live in this study of making Jesus live in us, and of mortifying ourselves." Padre Pio.
She is survived by her son Kevin and his wife Cynthia Sykes, grandchildren Jelani and Shakisha, sisters Mary Wilkins and Rev. Dr. Elaine McNeil, brother Herman (Clay) Sykes, Jr. and many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by sister Jeanette Sykes-Atkins, and brothers James Edward Sykes, Napoleon Sykes, and Larry Sykes.
Special thanks to the 2nd graders at Sacred Heart School for all their handmade holiday cards that they sent to her the while she was homebound 😇.
She attended grade school at Saint Francis Xavier School, Baltimore, MD and received her diploma on June 10, 1956. She then graduated from St. Francis Academy and received her H.S. diploma.
After graduation, she worked at Westinghouse at Friendship Airport (now Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) and then worked as a microfilm technician at the Social Security Administration Headquarters.
To pursue her life-long dream to become a nurse, she attended the old Provident Hospital’s Helene Fuld School of Nursing (1972-74), and earned her L.P.N. Today, the nursing school is associated with Coppin State University.
After graduation, she was hired as a Psychiatric Nurse for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Carrie worked at Crownsville and Spring Grove Psychiatric Hospitals. She then became the department's first Health Facilities Surveyor Nurse for the Developmental Disabilities Unit and later at Assisted Living Unit, inspecting facilities throughout the State of Maryland until she retireon June 1, 2015.
During her 41 year nursing career, she completed her Associate's degree at the Community College of Baltimore in June, 1985 and becoming an R.N. Carrie then completed her bachelor’s degree a few years later at the Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Carrie was a devout Roman Catholic and member of St. Francis Xavier Church, St. Ann's Catholic Church, St. Mary of the Assumption Church and finally Sacred Heart.
She volunteered in numerous church activities and served as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. She loved to retreat and renewal programs,and traveled to Holy Shrines and Sanctuaries in Europe and also Toronto, Canada. Her favorite trip was to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal.
She loved to read books on the lives of Saints. Her favorite Saint was St. Padre Pio. She read all of his books and loved to quote him.
"In the spiritual life, the more you run the less you get tired; moreover, peace, the preclude to eternal joy, will come upon us, and we shall be happy and strong according to the extent that we live in this study of making Jesus live in us, and of mortifying ourselves." Padre Pio.
She is survived by her son Kevin and his wife Cynthia Sykes, grandchildren Jelani and Shakisha, sisters Mary Wilkins and Rev. Dr. Elaine McNeil, brother Herman (Clay) Sykes, Jr. and many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by sister Jeanette Sykes-Atkins, and brothers James Edward Sykes, Napoleon Sykes, and Larry Sykes.
Special thanks to the 2nd graders at Sacred Heart School for all their handmade holiday cards that they sent to her the while she was homebound 😇.