Jonathan Sykes
1979 – 2025
Canastota, New York (NY)

Letter from a family friend
My earliest memory of Jonathan was when I was about 6 or 7 years old, when I met my new best friend Sarah's older brothers.
With my family's cottage being across the street from their family home and my fast growing friendship with Sarah, I soon became a semi permanent
summer fixture as the 4th sykes child and a 2nd little sister to Jonathan, early on sent to annoy him as little sisters are often sent to do.
Over the years of summer visits countless numbers of happy memories were made. From swimming days, amusement park, movie nights, 4th of july fireworks
sports play as one of the boys, and my inevitable injuries that came with it, dancing in the yard with sarah as Jonathan played cotton eyed joe on repeat,
fishing and camping trips, staying up late by the campfire eating smores and being scared by the chainsaw
sounds in the dark (which was really just bullfrog mating season) Jonathan grew into the big brother I never knew I wanted, The big brother I never knew
I really needed.

From childhood to adolescence to adulthood, even when years would pass between communications it never felt like any time had passed. Things would seemingly pick up where they left off. Jonathan was always the rock, the listener, the one to go to for a kind word, a loyal and dedicated family man, a lover of fishing, camping and country life, the one who always put the wellbeing and needs of those he loved above his own. His old fashion values and his heart of gold made him truly a special,
one of a kind person that this world was blessed to have.

Usually, and the Sykes family can attest, I am not one that is often short on words, however on the morning of Jan 12, 2025 when Sarah called to inform me
of Jonathan's sudden, unexpected passing I was rendered quite speechless. In shock and disbelief and unable to focus on much of anything for most of the day,
I took a walk in the country woods. As I walked, I talked to Jonathan, Expressing any feeling that popped into my head. How I hoped he knew much he really meant to me,   how important he was to so many, how thankful I am to have had him as an older brother since childhood, my thanks and appreciation for our years of family friendship and the daily texts of friendship over the last year and a half as he became one of my closest friends. My feelings of being cheated out of more time with him, My sorrows for each call I didn't make, for forgetting to respond to texts, being distant the last few weeks with sharing the craziness of things on my end and how much I will deeply, deeply miss him.

In all that I looked up to see, on one of the few small clouds in the sky sat a small snippet of rainbow.
In that moment of solace amongst the trees, with my sobs being the only sound,  I knew that he was still listening, still looking out for me, helping to send reassurance that he was safely making his way on the next part of his journey.

Thank you,  Jonathan,  for the many wonderful things you brought to my life. Be at peace and be safe my brother, my friend,
With all of my heart, I miss you, I love you, love always, Your Nikki