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Some Good News!       ***** Sue Graduates From College *****

On a beautiful sunshiny May 25, 2006 at Ramapo College of New Jersey, my sister Sue graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree in American Studies. Sue achieved a long term goal that had been her focus for quite awhile. She and her now deceased husband Don had started their own very successful business, Marpac, early on and it prospered greatly. However, merely creating guiding and managing this business that had factories in New York, California, Oklahoma, and Ireland was not sufficient for Sue. Virtually all of her business contacts had college degrees, her husband had one, why shouldn't Sue have one, too?

So back in about 1995 she started taking a couple of courses per semester and just kept plugging away at her goal. Along the way she picked up her AA degree, and now finally has the sheepskin she worked so hard to obtain.

Relatives and friends from near and far gathered to join in Sue's celebration. Sister Debbie and her daughter Susie came all the way from Germany, while my wife Karen and I flew in from California. Of course, Sue's daughter, Kathy, and her three children (Savannah, Simone, & Lincoln) traveled from Phoenix and Sue's son Jeff came in from Wyoming with his wife Anita and their daughter Jessica.

On the 27th, there was a reception at Sue's home for a total of 50 people including the family from afar and many of Sue's local friends.

At long last, Sue can now relax a little, pursue her interests, and fly around the country to visit her children and grandchildren. She has put in her time both in the business world and in academia. Bring on the "playtime." A couple of the photos are shown below.
 
 

 

More Sad News

While I have been delinquent at updating this page with all the good things going on with us and our extended families, another very sad event has forced me to do an update that I never dreamed I would encounter. On February 5, 2006, my son Chris passed away very unexpectedly. He was 38 years old and died as a result of excessive alcohol abuse.
 


Chris is shown above against a backdrop of Dale Earnhardt photos. Dale was his hero and NASCAR racing was his passion. Chris lived a quiet and secluded life. I was never able to learn what he was all about and now it is too late. I loved him dearly and he will be greatly missed. There is a big hole in my world.
 
Some Very Sad News To Report

On August 10, 2004 , my sister Suzanne's husband, Donald J. Sykes, passed away after a brief battle with cancer. Sue and Don were high school sweethearts at Bennett High School in Buffalo New York. Thus, Don was a part of our family for fifty years and he will be deeply missed. Don's obituary follows:

Photo

 

DONALD J. SYKES

Born in Buffalo, NY on Mar. 16, 1936
Departed on Aug. 10, 2004 and resided in Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Visitation:

Friday Aug. 13, 2004

 

FUNERAL MASS:

Saturday Aug. 14, 2004

 

Cemetery:

Ascension Cemetery

 

 

 

 
 

Sykes, Donald J. 68, on August 10, 2004 of Upper Saddle River for 40 years. Beloved husband of Suzanne (nee Marble) of 44 yrs. Loving father of Katherine and her husband Stephen Johnston of Dallas, TX, Jeffrey and his wife Anita of Alta, WY. Adored grandfather of Savannah, Simone and Lincoln Johnston and Jessica Sykes. Loved brother in law of Connie, Bill and Debbie. Seven nieces and nephews.

Donald J. Sykes, entrepreneur businessman, was born in Buffalo New York and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Photographic Science in 1958. Following his service with the US Army he accepted a position with Cormac Chemical Corporation in New York City. Three years later he joined the Hunt Chemical Company as Research Director in Palisades Park, NJ and moved his family to Upper Saddle River, where he has resided since 1964. During the course of his years in research and product development he was issued twenty-four U.S. Patents.

As a proud citizen of the USR community he served for several years with the USR Volunteer Fire Dept., including one term as treasurer and later president. He was also a member of the Saddle River Valley Lions Club. A life-long member of the American Chemical Society, Mr. Sykes also belonged to the Society of Photographic Scientists and Engineers.

In 1967 he and his wife co-founded Marpac Industries Inc. with offices in Waldwick NJ and manufacturing sites in New York, California, Oklahoma and the Republic of Ireland. Upon selling this custom plastic container manufacturing business in 1998, he established Sykor LLC a web-based business producing personalized party favors located in Waldwick NJ. Visitation will be held on Friday from 2-4 & 7-9 at the Van Emburgh-Sneider Funeral Home, 109 Darlington Ave, Ramsey, NJ. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday August 14, 2004 at the Church of the Presentation in Upper Saddle River at 10 AM. Cremation will be private. Donations may be sent in Donald’s name to the American Cancer Society, 20 Mercer St, Hackensack, NJ 07601 or the Upper Saddle River Fire Department, 372 W. Saddle River Rd, USR, NJ 07458.
 

We are Travel-Addicts!

I have not kept up this site like I want to...but it's just because we are having too much fun! This year has included trips to Hawaii, Palm Springs, New Jersey, Branson, New England, and Florida. I have trouble just keeping track of our airplane tickets.

Anyway, we just got back from two weeks in Florida on Nov. 20. Thanks to email and telephones, I was able to pull together a little mini-reunion of Riverside High School Classmates/Teammates in Weston Florida (near Ft. Lauderdale). Here's a shot of the group:

From left to right by couple - Ed & Alice (Jardine) Ward, Tom & Suzy (plus Tom's sister Moira) Oatmeyer, Jack & Carol Dressel, Joe & Marion Derme, Bill & Karen Marble.

Whether we're talking about the old days, what's happened since then, or what we are going to do next, it is great fun to spend time with the folks from old RHS days!

While in Florida we saw a "green-flash" sunset on Bonita Beach (Gorgeous!), lions and tigers and kangaroos at the Caribbean Zoo & Gardens in Naples, rode in an airboat across the Everglades with the Oatmeyers, visited with ex-neighbors Bob & Linda Clemons in Estero (near Ft. Meyers), took sailboat and tour boat rides to view the incredible mansions of south Florida, and in general just had a fabulous time.

Jackson Jamboree - Marble Family Reunion - August 2003

We just returned from a month long auto tour that had the Marble Family Reunion in Alta, WY as its highlight! Karen and I covered 5900 miles over the period from July 30th through August 29th. We hit Alta, WY on August 8th and stayed five days to mingle with Marbles from around the country and the world.  Suffice it to say that we had a FABULOUS time!

June 12, 2003 - Chris & Tim's Birthday

Couldn't do much about seeing Tim in Colorado, but Karen and I drove down to visit Chris in Castro Valley on his 36th Birthday (Tim turned 35). Chris isn't too sure he likes how fast these birthdays are flying by. He can see the BIG 40 looming not too far ahead on the highway. We had an exceptionally nice visit before hitting the road for the 2 hour drive home.

Another Baby On The Way!

My niece Jennie (by my sister Connie Masson) and her husband, Jon Klapp, are expecting another baby in November, 2003. Jennie is shown in the photo on the right with her son Michael on his first birthday -- November 7, 2002. Michael may well have a sibling born on the same day as he was. Jennie says that two children is the limit for the Klapp family!

"A Baby is Born" - January 30, 2003

Jeff Sykes, my nephew, and his lovely wife Anita became parents this day with the arrival of baby Jessica. Born at 7:13 pm, she weighed in at 7 lbs. 13 oz. -- a real "Daily Double." Anita & Jessica are doing fine. Don't know about Jeff! Photo at right shows a happy group at Jessica's Christening in March, 2003. That's my sister Suzanne and her husband Don Sykes on the left. The center of the photo at the right has Jessica, Jeff & Anita, with all the grandparents on either flank.

 

Pacific Life Open
March 3 - 16, 2003

Karen and I made our second annual trip to watch the pros play tennis for two weeks at Indian Wells, CA (near Palm Springs). It was another great tournament and general great time. Lleyton Hewitt won the men's title and his girlfriend, Kim Clijsters won the women's championship. A highlight was having the opportunity to renew our friendship with Ron & Harriet Goble. We sat next to them at the 2002 Tournament and got together for several dinners at this one. They are from Fortuna, CA (near Eureka).