Linda Sikes

Mary Linda Sikes, long-time Seattle area resident, passed away on March 4, 2020, at age 84. Linda was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the second of three children to Ernest Frederick Stockdale, an attorney, and Alice Eitelman Stockdale, a teacher and artist. Her grandfather Ed Eitelman and great-grandfather Michael Eitelman were proprietors of a blacksmith and horseshoeing business near downtown, established in 1877. The Fort Worth home of her maternal grandparents was an important and joyous place for summer and holiday visits for Linda and her two brothers. Linda's father practiced law in a succession of Texas towns, including Fort Worth, Aspermont, and Haskell, before settling in Morton, Texas, where he was the county judge and Linda graduated high school. After graduating high school, Linda followed her older brother Fred and attended Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico. A few months into college, Fred introduced her to one of his friends in the ENMU band, Perry Sikes, from Hobbs, New Mexico. Linda and Perry began dating, then married on her birthday in 1955. A year later, their first daughter, Mary, was born, starting Linda's career as a full-time mother and family manager. Over the next seven years, Linda and Perry's family grew by three sons and a second daughter - Tom, Bill, Jane and Randy. After college, Perry taught math at high schools in Pampa, Texas, and El Paso, Texas, until 1964. That year, Linda and Perry were enticed to move the family to Seattle where Perry began a new career with Boeing and Linda was presented with the new, but familiar, challenge of relocating a family, establishing a home, starting the children in new schools, making new friends, and adapting to all the necessary changes of leaving the Texas plains for the promise of the Pacific northwest. In the early 1970s, the family moved to Lexington, Massachusetts, then Vienna, Virginia, as Perry accepted new Boeing assignments. Linda added new skills as Perry's job offered her the opportunity to host a variety of guests in her home for dinners and social occasions. The Sikes family returned to the Pacific Northwest in 1977. Linda's life is reflected first and foremost in her family. She was beloved as wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was firmly committed to her faith, instilled in her at an early age, and taught children's Sunday School classes. She loved music and singing. Following in her mother's creative and artistic footsteps, she developed creative and artistic outlets, including authentic Japanese dolls. She served in community organizations such as parent-teacher associations, scouting groups, local garden clubs, and she worked as an election volunteer. In many ways, Linda exemplified her generation's ideal of the full-time homemaker - she made the home, no matter what was required. Linda was preceded in death by her parents and older brother Fred. She is survived by Perry, her husband of almost 65 years in Snohomish; brother John Stockdale in Albany, Texas; children Mary Broadwell and spouse Andrew Broadwell in Auckland, New Zealand, Tom Sikes and spouse Ruby in Bothell, Bill Sikes in Bellevue, Jane Sikes in Wenatchee, and Randy with spouse Gayle in Renton; nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. The life of Mary Linda Stockdale Sikes will be celebrated in a private family remembrance. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that friends and acquaintances consider donations to organizations devoted to Alzheimer's research, treatment and family support.