When his beloved father, Luke, died suddenly in 1930, Joe at the age of 15 went to work to support his mother, Mary and his four younger siblings. Three brothers, Edward, John & Raymond and sister, Kay. He worked as a laborer in a ship building yard on Staten Island, NY. Joe was educated 'on the job' in addition to the formal education he continued throughout his entire career. He eventually recieved his Degree in Naval Architecture from Drexel University, Chester PA in 1960.
He was the husband of Arneta Mary Blomquist Sykes with whom he shared 41 years of marriage. Father of Carol Jane Sykes Paterson 12/23/40 - 8/16/90, Joseph Aloysius Sykes, Jr. 1/4/41 - 12/29/01, Gerald John Sykes, Arneta Margaret Sykes, John Edward Sykes 10/27/52 - 10/29/52, and Arlene Mary Sykes Brice.
Joe served as a volunteer ambulance driver during WW2 on Staten Island, NY. His career in the ship building industry excluded him from the draft. He served his country by being one of the many that helped build and launch the ships that helped with the war effort in record time when they were needed the most. A part-time job was as Roller Rink employee led to him to meeting not only a skating parnter but his partner for life. He was a great roller skater and competed in Pairs Dance Skating. He met Arneta when he asked her if she would partner up with him for a competition. Together, they won many trophies.
He was one of the innovators that helped save the shipping industry during the years it made it's transition away from being the world's passenger transportation leader. Jet Airplane travel made cruising obsolete. Retired Cruise Ships were refitted to transort the savior of shipping, the Container. Joe's designs and dimensions are still used as the general rule of sizing modern container construction.
One of his last designs before retiring in 1976 was The World's Largest Free Floating Mammal Pavillion which is docked in Boston Harbor, Boston, MA. It is associated with the Boston Aquarium. Sea Lion shows are performed on it daily.
Joe loved a good joke, a friendly conversation, horses and his family.
He was the husband of Arneta Mary Blomquist Sykes with whom he shared 41 years of marriage. Father of Carol Jane Sykes Paterson 12/23/40 - 8/16/90, Joseph Aloysius Sykes, Jr. 1/4/41 - 12/29/01, Gerald John Sykes, Arneta Margaret Sykes, John Edward Sykes 10/27/52 - 10/29/52, and Arlene Mary Sykes Brice.
Joe served as a volunteer ambulance driver during WW2 on Staten Island, NY. His career in the ship building industry excluded him from the draft. He served his country by being one of the many that helped build and launch the ships that helped with the war effort in record time when they were needed the most. A part-time job was as Roller Rink employee led to him to meeting not only a skating parnter but his partner for life. He was a great roller skater and competed in Pairs Dance Skating. He met Arneta when he asked her if she would partner up with him for a competition. Together, they won many trophies.
He was one of the innovators that helped save the shipping industry during the years it made it's transition away from being the world's passenger transportation leader. Jet Airplane travel made cruising obsolete. Retired Cruise Ships were refitted to transort the savior of shipping, the Container. Joe's designs and dimensions are still used as the general rule of sizing modern container construction.
One of his last designs before retiring in 1976 was The World's Largest Free Floating Mammal Pavillion which is docked in Boston Harbor, Boston, MA. It is associated with the Boston Aquarium. Sea Lion shows are performed on it daily.
Joe loved a good joke, a friendly conversation, horses and his family.
When his beloved father, Luke, died suddenly in 1930, Joe at the age of 15 went to work to support his mother, Mary and his four younger siblings. Three brothers, Edward, John & Raymond and sister, Kay. He worked as a laborer in a ship building yard on Staten Island, NY. Joe was educated 'on the job' in addition to the formal education he continued throughout his entire career. He eventually recieved his Degree in Naval Architecture from Drexel University, Chester PA in 1960.
He was the husband of Arneta Mary Blomquist Sykes with whom he shared 41 years of marriage. Father of Carol Jane Sykes Paterson 12/23/40 - 8/16/90, Joseph Aloysius Sykes, Jr. 1/4/41 - 12/29/01, Gerald John Sykes, Arneta Margaret Sykes, John Edward Sykes 10/27/52 - 10/29/52, and Arlene Mary Sykes Brice.
Joe served as a volunteer ambulance driver during WW2 on Staten Island, NY. His career in the ship building industry excluded him from the draft. He served his country by being one of the many that helped build and launch the ships that helped with the war effort in record time when they were needed the most. A part-time job was as Roller Rink employee led to him to meeting not only a skating parnter but his partner for life. He was a great roller skater and competed in Pairs Dance Skating. He met Arneta when he asked her if she would partner up with him for a competition. Together, they won many trophies.
He was one of the innovators that helped save the shipping industry during the years it made it's transition away from being the world's passenger transportation leader. Jet Airplane travel made cruising obsolete. Retired Cruise Ships were refitted to transort the savior of shipping, the Container. Joe's designs and dimensions are still used as the general rule of sizing modern container construction.
One of his last designs before retiring in 1976 was The World's Largest Free Floating Mammal Pavillion which is docked in Boston Harbor, Boston, MA. It is associated with the Boston Aquarium. Sea Lion shows are performed on it daily.
Joe loved a good joke, a friendly conversation, horses and his family.
He was the husband of Arneta Mary Blomquist Sykes with whom he shared 41 years of marriage. Father of Carol Jane Sykes Paterson 12/23/40 - 8/16/90, Joseph Aloysius Sykes, Jr. 1/4/41 - 12/29/01, Gerald John Sykes, Arneta Margaret Sykes, John Edward Sykes 10/27/52 - 10/29/52, and Arlene Mary Sykes Brice.
Joe served as a volunteer ambulance driver during WW2 on Staten Island, NY. His career in the ship building industry excluded him from the draft. He served his country by being one of the many that helped build and launch the ships that helped with the war effort in record time when they were needed the most. A part-time job was as Roller Rink employee led to him to meeting not only a skating parnter but his partner for life. He was a great roller skater and competed in Pairs Dance Skating. He met Arneta when he asked her if she would partner up with him for a competition. Together, they won many trophies.
He was one of the innovators that helped save the shipping industry during the years it made it's transition away from being the world's passenger transportation leader. Jet Airplane travel made cruising obsolete. Retired Cruise Ships were refitted to transort the savior of shipping, the Container. Joe's designs and dimensions are still used as the general rule of sizing modern container construction.
One of his last designs before retiring in 1976 was The World's Largest Free Floating Mammal Pavillion which is docked in Boston Harbor, Boston, MA. It is associated with the Boston Aquarium. Sea Lion shows are performed on it daily.
Joe loved a good joke, a friendly conversation, horses and his family.
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