SIKESTON -- A memorial service for former mayor William Kendall Sikes of Sikeston will be held at 3 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church. A private committal service will be held later at Sikeston City Cemetery.

Friends may call at the church from 1:30 to service time.

Nunnelee Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Sikes, 81, died Sunday, June 19, 1994, at Missouri Delta Medical Center.

He was born Oct. 4, 1912, son of Alfred Calvin and Leah Kendall Sikes. He and Marcia Bowman Weber were married June 9, 1937.

Sikes was a graduate of Sikeston High School, attended Westminster College and the University of Missouri.

He was involved in business and agriculture in this area most of his life. He served on the city council 11 years, was mayor from 1965-69, and was selected Man of the Year in 1955 by Sikeston Chamber of Commerce.

Sikes was active in the leadership of Downtown Merchants Association. He helped charter Sikeston Jaycees and Sikeston Industrial Development Corp., and helped establish Sikeston Little League baseball.

He served 43 years on the Missouri Delta Medical Center Board of Directors, 10 of which he was chairman. He served on the Missouri Manpower Council from 1973-76.

Sikes was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church and had served as chairman of the Board of Stewards and Finance Committee. He served with the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Alfred Sikes II of New York City, Stephen Sikes of Sikeston; a brother, John Sikes of Sikeston; five granddaughters, and two great-granddaughters.