The late Mrs. Rose Sykes Nether of 202 Seabrook Drive, Sylvester, Georgia, departed this life on Sunday, June 14, 2020 at her residence.

A private ceremony will be held for the family on Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. from the Shepard Memorial Garden Cemetery in Sylvester, Georgia. Words of Comfort will be delivered by Reverend Robert Rice, Jr.

Mrs. Rose Ella Sykes Nether was born on October 9, 1933 in Arlington, Georgia to the late Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Davis and Annie Vernice Webb Sykes.

Rose gave her life to Christ at an early age and joined the Holsey Chapel C.M.E. Church. She was educated in the Early County Public School System at that time, and graduated from Early County High School at age sixteen. After high school, Rose went on to attend Paine College in Augusta, Georgia, where she graduated with a degree in her passion, Early Childhood Education. Later in life, she obtained her Masters Degree in Education from Georgia Southwestern University in Americus, Georgia. After graduating from Paine College, Rose returned home to Arlington to begin her teaching career under the tutorial influence of her mother.

One Sunday morning, Rose met Mr. Howard William "H.W." Nether at her church, Holsey C.M.E. Church, and after a period of time, the two became one, united in Holy Matrimony. They were blessed with two children. This union, as Rose used to say, had them married "Forty years, three months, and eighteen days" until H.W. passed away in January of 2001.

Upon marriage, Rose and H. W. moved to Sylvester, Georgia, where Rose taught school diligently for thirty-four years as one of the best teachers ever in the Worth County Public School System. While living in Sylvester, She moved her church membership to Jones Chapel A.M.E. Church in Sylvester, Georgia. She was very active in the church, where she was the Senior Choir Director until her health started declining.

Rose transitioned from this earthly realm to Eternal Rest on Sunday, June 14, 2020 at her home. Her parents, her husband, Howard Nether, a son, Howard Keith Nether, her brothers, Theodore "Theo" R. Sykes, Samuel David "S.D." Sykes, Leo Cornelius "Neal" Sykes, and an aunt, Julia Webb Sabastaian, have all preceded her in death.

She leaves to cherish her memories her loving and devoted son, Cedric R. (Deborah) Nether of Albany, Georgia; a grandson, Rickey Sutton of Tifton, Georgia; a brother, Lemuel (Cathy) Sykes of Chicago, Illinois; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.