Deacon Robert Sykes Jr., pictured in the upper left corner wearing a gray suit and bow tie during the 2017 service, died on January 20th. He was 66 years old. Sykes Jr. was the third son of the late Bob and Mildred Sykes. He is also related to the late Rev. Wallace W. Sykes, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Maywood, where Robert served as deacon director and trustee. | file
Monday, January 29, 2024 || Written by Michael Roman || [email protected]
Robert David Sykes Jr. grew up in Maywood, the youngest son of the family that owned Bob's Grocery. Bob's Grocery is a neighborhood facility that extended credit lines and provided food to countless residents when they couldn't afford it. By the time of his death on January 20th at the age of 66, he had become the patriarch of his family.
A native of Maywood, Sykes was the third of six children born to the late Robert and Mildred Sykes. In 1965, the couple opened Bob's Grocery, which became a neighborhood staple at his corner of 13th Street and Randolph in Maywood for nearly 40 years.
According to his obituary, Robert Sykes Jr., known to his family as “Uncle Bobby,” began working at Bob's Grocery at age 8, where he developed business acumen, money management skills, and It also taught him the importance of helping people.
As a young man, Sykes Jr. hosted quarter parties in a building his family owned down the street from the store. The Maywood home of the elder Sykes Jr. was the gathering place and center for generations of members of the Sykes family.
He would eventually start a business selling homemade Mississippi sausage to businesses in the Chicago area, as well as manage real estate, start a snow removal company, and start RD Sykes Contractors. Sykes Jr. worked for American Airlines for 39 years.
Sykes Jr. grew up at Second Baptist Church, located down the street from Bob's at 431 S. 13th Ave. in Maywood. There his cousin, the Rev. Wallace W. Sykes, served as his pastor for 50 years. Sykes Jr. eventually became a member of the church's board of deacons and board of trustees. He was also always present at the church's daily morning prayer group, South 7 Prayer Hour.
Services for Robert Sykes Jr. were held last Friday and Saturday.
