Karen Lee Sykes

Karen Lee Sykes of Rogers, Ark., passed away in the company of loved ones on April 8, 2020 at the age of 57. She grew up in El Dorado, Ark., and was a 1980 graduate of El Dorado High School. She earned a B.S. degree from Louisiana Tech University where she was a member of the Phi Mu Sorority. Karen spent her entire career supporting students with academic difficulties. She would tell her students that she understood, firsthand, the struggles of learning differences. Karen taught, mentored, and motivated countless students in Little Rock, Eureka Springs, and Northwest Arkansas. She established Academic Math and Language Therapy and served students from ages 6-80. She loved each and every student. Karen had a gift of bringing people together. She had a multitude of friends to whom her home was always open. Karen's love and light made her friends feel like family. Karen is preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Kathryn Sykes. She was a lifelong member of the Second Baptist Church of El Dorado, where she and her father were baptized together. Karen is survived by her cousins, Kay (Gary) Ketchum of Kilgore, Texas, Roger (Jeannie) Walker of Fairhope, Ala., Ernie Paul, of Longview, Texas, and her very precious dog, Bentley. Memorials may be made to Circle of Life Hospice. A celebration of Karen's life will be held at a later date. Updates will be made to Epting Funeral Home's website and to Karen's Memories Facebook page. Arrangements by Epting Funeral Home. Condolences: www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.