Vanessa Yvonne Sykes

Vanessa Yvonne Sykes was born Vanessa Logan in Cleveland, Ohio on March 21, 1960, as the eighth child of Carol and Lillie Mae Logan. Vanessa is the youngest daughter of Carol and Lillie Mae’s ten children: Rowena, Carl Jr. (deceased), Jerry, Idell, Marilyn, Reginald, Mary, Prince, and Melvin. Vanessa accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior at the Pentecostal Church of Christ.

Vanessa began her life-long love of baking beside her mother at the early age of eight. Those early years with her mom is where Vanessa also became an avid seamstress, over the years tailoring clothing for family, friends, and her collection of over 1,000 toy baby dolls. Vanessa fostered a career in the service of others, working for more than twenty-five years at the Cuyahoga County Department of Family Services, and for over eight years with Habitat for Humanity. Vanessa returned to education earning a college degree in 2015 so that she could further assist those in need. Vanessa found time in-between work and caring for others to enjoy her passion for gardening and working on her homestead, most recently acquiring a flock of chickens, all while faithfully pursuing her faith in Christ. It is this faith that drove Vanessa to host Thanksgiving at her home each year, bringing family and friends together to celebrate life through prayer and food.

Vanessa leaves to honor and cherish the wonderful woman that she is, her four children: Larry (spouse Tamika), Rickey Jr., Christina, and Harry III; her ten grandchildren: Elaunie, Elijah, Eliecia, Sionna, Alayah, Mariyah, Samiya, Amorah, Harry IV, and Carter; her siblings: Rowena (spouse Grover), Jerry, Idell (spouse Lou), Marilyn, Reginald, Mary, Prince, and Melvin; and a plethora of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Vanessa is preceded in death by her husband of twenty-nine years Rickey Sr., her brother Carl Jr., and her parents Carol Sr. and Lillie Mae.

Though the body of Vanessa is being consecrated back to earth, and her soul onto heaven, the spirit of Life, Love, and Joy that Vanessa embodied and instilled in those lucky enough to call her a Sister, an Aunt, a Friend, and Mom, continues to live on. We are all thankful for the beautiful woman that is Vanessa. A true Wonder Woman. We love you.