GOLDA SYKES

FORT WORTH -- Heaven welcomed an angel home Friday morning, May 25, 2013, as Golda Mae Caston Sykes passed away peacefully at her home. She went to be with her husband, Robert Lee Sykes, who preceded in her death in 2011.        Service: 10 a.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5001 Altamesa Blvd. She will be laid to rest at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, next to her deceased husband, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Lee Sykes. Visitation: Family and friends will be received 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in the Great Room at Robertson Mueller Harper and 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. Saturday at the church.        Memorials: In lieu of flowers, consideration of contributions to the LDS Perpetual Education Fund be made through the LDS Church or to the cancer charity of choice, in her honor, is suggested.        Born in the Presidio, San Francisco, at Letterman Army Hospital, Golda was the daughter of Milton Kash and Ereva Mae Greenwell Caston. She was named after her paternal grandmother, Golda Auspice Kashtansky, who along with her grandfather, Joseph Kashtansky, escaped from persecution in Russia/Prussia and came through Ellis Island in 1905. Golda's father was a U.S. Air Force pilot/navigator who served his country throughout the world.        Golda enjoyed the world travels with her three sisters. Golda graduated from Buchser High School in 1963, in Santa Clara, Calif., where she was active as an honor student and cheerleader for the football team.        As fate would have it, her dad was assigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska. There she experienced the Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964. Golda was on the top fith floor of the famous J.C. Penney department store building trying on dresses when the quake hit and the entire wall with the dressing rooms collapsed onto the street. As she crawled on her hands and knees to get away, the floor underneath her was crumbling. She miraculously made it safely out and, standing barefoot in the snow with no coat for two hours, someone finally threw her a pair of slippers. Her story headlined in several newspapers throughout the lower 48 states.        It was also here, in this far-away corner of the world, that she met a handsome young Army Airman named Robert Lee Sykes who would sweep her off her feet. They married Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1964, in Alaska and then hurried to Mesa, Ariz., in order to seal their marriage for time and all eternity in the Latter-day Saints Mesa, Ariz., Temple, one week later.        Robert and Golda traveled with the Army throughout the United States until Robert retired at Fort Bliss in El Paso. Fort Worth, being Robert's home, was where they made their home for 33 years.        While raising her own young family, Golda became disillusioned in the quality of the education that her son was receiving. Her decision to home-school led to establishing Sykes Academy in Fort Worth to serve other families whose children struggled with mainstream education. Golda was a natural teacher and she knew how to take a difficult subject and make it seem simple and clear to understand. Truly the world is a better place for the impact and influence that Golda has had.        Golda was an active member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a heritage in the Utah pioneers and the settlement of Utah through her mother, Ereva Mae. She raised her children diligently to have a belief in Jesus Christ. Golda served her church and the Lord through various callings in the church as Primary president, Relief Society president, Young Women president, Youth Seminary teacher, Institute teacher and many others.        She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and half brother, James Schilling.        Survivors: In addition to her daughter, Rebecca Sykes Young and her husband, Scott, Golda is survived by her son, Robert "Robby" Leeson Sykes; grandchildren, Thomas and Samantha Young; younger siblings, Karen Dastrup and husband, Brent, Patricia Bassett and husband, Mark, and Yvonna Reed and husband, Roger; half siblings, Ray Schilling and Jill Ball and husband, Bob; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families. Robertson Mueller Harper Funerals & Cremations 1500 Eighth Ave., 817-924-4233 To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of GOLDA SYKES please visit our Sympathy Store.