Joanne Nussbaum Sikes

Joanne Nussbaum Sikes, age 81, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother went home to meet her Lord and Savior on December 13, 2016. She was born on March 2, 1935 in Milwaukwee Wisconsin, the daughter of Julius Harold and Erna Rang Nussbaum. Joanne grew up in Mexia, Texas. She graduated from Mexia High School in 1953. She attended North Texas University before eventually transferring to Sam Houston State University graduating with a BA in Business Administration in 1957. She married LN (Sonny) Sikes in Waco, Texas on September 4, 1954 and they had two children, Sherri and Larry. Joanne was a “stay at home” mom who also ran the Office of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) as the office manager for 18 years from home with the help of her dear friend Ivy Moss. Based on all of her endless support of the NIRA she was eventually named “Mother of the NIRA”. She was always very involved in the community by serving in the Huntsville Study Club and the Newcomers club, was a member of the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, served on the Walker County Rural Water Board, and established the SHSU Faculty Wives Club. She was a Lifetime member of the Alumni Association at SHSU and was presented the Alumni Association Service award in 2005. She was also instrumental in creating the SHSU Parents Association of which she is a life and charter member. Joanne was always strong in her faith and was a member of the First United Methodist Church for 58 plus years and served on many committees. Joanne was preceded in death by her mother, father, brother Harold Nussbaum and brother in-law Bobby Sikes. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Sonny Sikes, daughter Sherri Stephens and her husband William Louis (Rock), son Larry Sikes and his wife Shelley, grandchildren Ryan Stephens and his wife Alaina, Staci Stephens, Macy Fuller and her husband Aaron, Keely Sikes, and Landon Sikes, her first great grandchild Rhett Stephens, sisters in-laws Frances Ragland, Jan Powers, and brother in-law Jack Sikes. Pallbearers will be Robert McCann, Kirk Moss, David Saunders, Jim Saunders, B.J. Sikes, Landon Sikes, Ryan Stephens, Roger Walters. Honorary pallbearers are Rusty Davis, Jim Dutton, Mathew Love, Brad McReynolds, Freddy Sikes, and Ronnie Williams. The family cannot thank enough the caregivers of Consider the Lillies, specifically Jean Archie, Dawn Drake, Margie Johnson, Stacy Tubbs, Gayle Newkirk and Lara Lewis. They along with Thee Hospice took such great care of Joanne during her battle with NPH. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home. A celebration of her life will begin on Thursday, December 15, 2016 with Visitation at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home from 5:00 – 8:00pm. There will be Service at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Scott Dornbush on Friday December 16th at 10:00 am followed by the burial at Brook Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in her memory to The Sikes Family Scholarship Endowment, Attention: Office of University Advancement, SHSU, Box 2537, Huntsville, Texas 77341-2537.

Joanne Nussbaum Sikes

March 2, 1935 - December 13, 2016