Fred Lykes died peacefully early on Monday, May 12th, following a prolonged and courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease. Fred, affectionately known as “The Doc”, was born on November 13, 1942, in Laredo, Texas. He was the third and youngest son of the late Roy Budden Lykes and Virginia Sides Lindsey. Predeceased by his parents and brothers, Richard Sides Lykes and Roy Budden Lykes Jr., Fred is survived by his wife, Nancy Wind Lykes. Fred is also survived by his three sons: Frederick Freeman Lykes Jr.; Michael David Lykes and wife, Kathleen Clark Lykes; and James Richard Lykes and wife, Katherine Seinsheimer Lykes, along with their mother, Vicky McCampbell Lykes. He leaves ten grandchildren: Frederick Freeman Lykes III, Alexandra Morgan Lykes, Sterling Connor Lykes, Gabrielle Candace Price and her husband, Andrew Francis Price, Jackson Roy Lykes, Chloe Clark Lykes, Payton Fields Lykes, Joseph Harrison Lykes, Margaret Ann Keefe Lykes, and Glynis Lee Seinsheimer Lykes. He also had two beloved great grandchildren: Francis June Price and Noah Fields Price. Fred is survived by two step daughters: Megan Wind Creager and husband, Robert Wayne “Bubba” Creager, and Lindsey Marie Hannasch and husband, Michael Dillon Hannasch. He also leaves six step-grandchildren: Haylee Shae Creager, Boone T. Creager, Walker Eloise Creager, Briggs Henry Hannasch, Sutton George Hannasch, and McCoy William Hannasch.
Fred attended The University of Texas in Austin before enrolling in Medical School at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas at the age of eighteen. He was a member of the Phi Chi Fraternity and Mu Delta Honorary Medical Society, where he met his best lifelong friend, Jimmy Clark, and received his Doctor of Medicine in 1966. Fred then joined the United States Air Force where he became a flight surgeon during the Vietnam War and completed his residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He served in the Air Force until 1973, when he retired as a Major. He moved his young family to Victoria, Texas and established a solo private Dermatology practice. He was active in the community, where he was President of the Victoria Medical Society, Delegate to the Texas Medical Association, Member of the American Academy of Dermatology, and past board member of St. Joseph High School, Hospice, Salvation Army, and The Cuero-Victoria Connection.
As a teenager, Fred enjoyed trips to Tampa, Florida where he would hunt and fish with his family, and frequent visits into Mexico with his brothers, who were all fluent in Spanish. As a medical student, he loved playing cards with his friends and fishing in Galveston. As an adult, he loved traveling the world; watching his sons play sports; playing HORSE with his sons where he would shoot his infamous “jelly roll” shot; and playing countless hours of cards with his amigos - Joe Enos, Al Long and Gene Bigelow. He also enjoyed the annual Lykes boys fishing trip to Montana, where they successfully caught fish on the Yellowstone River for thirty-two years. Fred was passionate about being a doctor. He practiced in Victoria for forty-four years, retiring in 2017. During retirement, he continued to play Pitch with "The Boys" at the Victoria Country Club, where he claimed to be the longest serving member, and being at any event that involved his family.
A private burial will be held on Thursday, May 15th. Serving as pallbearers will be Frederick Freeman Lykes, Jr., Michael David Lykes, James Richard Lykes, Frederick Freeman Lykes III, Sterling Conor Lykes, Jackson Roy Lykes, and Joseph Harrison Lykes. Honorary Pallbearers will be Pancho Malakoff, Jimmy Clark, Ross Grief, Bobby Limmer, Joe Cohen, and Jay Lack.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 16th at one o'clock in the afternoon at First Presbyterian Church, 2408 N. Navarro Street. A reception will follow at the Victoria Country Club, 14 Spring Creek Road.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family asks that a contribution be considered in his name to St. Joseph High School or Hospice of South Texas.
