William M. Sykes

William (Bill) M. Sykes, MD., of Denver, Colo., and a former Clear Lake resident, passed away in his home Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015. Bill is leaving behind his wife, Karen, of 30 years, close friends, family, admired associates, and many, many patients that he has cared for over his 40 year career as a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist.

Bill lived life to the fullest, enjoying a beautiful marriage, a career that he loved, great friends, cooking, and traveling the world.   Anyone who knew him would tell you that Bill Sykes never let anything stand in the way of having fun!

Dr. Sykes had been in private practice since 1980.  He spent four years as Consultation Liaison for The Children’s Hospital and then entered a full time private practice of Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry, where he worked until his death. Throughout his career he also consulted to many entities including The Children’s Hospital Burn Team and various child and adolescent residential treatment centers. Dr. Sykes had been a Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Bill and Karen chose to take advantage of two, rich, six-year opportunities away from Denver. In 1991 he was recruited to Lincoln, Neb. to establish a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric unit at Lincoln General Hospital, where he was also an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Nebraska. After six years they returned to Denver, then in 2004 he was asked to set up a private practice and act as Medical Director and consultant for several organizations in Hawaii. He was a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry for the University of Hawaii Medical School. He considered his time in Hawaii a rewarding experience that allowed him to learn much about the multicultural aspects of psychiatry.

Bill was raised on a farm near Clear Lake, Iowa. In high school he was selected for the National Honor Society, and in scouting, obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Iowa State University and graduated with a double major in chemistry and physics. While attending school he worked part-time as a physical chemist at the Atomic Energy Commission. One summer was spent studying Shakespeare in England as part of Iowa State’s International Study Program.

After college, Dr. Sykes attended medical school at the University of Colorado Medical Center and during that time spent another summer in London doing a pediatric externship. After medical school he did his pediatric internship at The Children’s Hospital of Denver, then did a pediatric residency at the University of Colorado. This was followed by a residency in adult and child psychiatry at the University of Michigan. While in Michigan, he also obtained his private pilot’s license. He finished his medical training at the University of Colorado with a Fellowship in Child Psychiatry.