Breckenridge Texan

Retired Stephens County Commissioner Button Sikes dies

Retired Stephens County Commissioner Button Sikes dies
January 20
19:41 2025

By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

Long-time Stephens County Commissioner D.C. “Button” Sikes, age 85, died early this morning, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. His funeral will be Thursday, Jan. 23.

Sikes served as commissioner of Precinct 2 for 40 years, from January 1979 through December 2018.

When he announced his retirement, Sikes said one of the biggest accomplishments during his time on the court was working with the state through their assistance program to rebuild four big bridges in his precinct to state specifications so heavy trucks and equipment can drive over the creeks to the oil fields. “We had a lot of country isolated out there in the oil patch,” he said in a 2017 Breckenridge Texan article. “You know, you couldn’t get there without forging the creek somewhere, and that was hard to do.”

Sikes also credited his relationship with the State for his ability to get multiple Farm to Market roads in his precinct.

On his last day as a Stephens County Commissioner, Sikes asked the Breckenridge Texan to publish a letter to the community. “Serving Stephens County as the Commissioner of Precinct 2 for the past 40 years has been the privilege of a lifetime,” he wrote. “As my time of service ends, my heart is grateful to the citizens of this county, and precinct 2 voters, for allowing me the opportunity to serve the county I love.”

Sikes was born Sept. 23, 1939, to Ferrol and Bill Sikes. He grew up in Stephens County and married Fran Lamb; they made their home with their family in Eolian in the southwestern portion of the county.

According to the obituary from Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home, Sikes’ funeral service will be at First Methodist Church, 419 W. Walker St., on Thursday, Jan. 23, beginning at 2 p.m., with Stephens County Judge Michael Roach officiating. The family will welcome friends for a visitation at the church before the funeral service from 1 to 2 p.m.

Roach said the Stephens County Courthouse will be closed Thursday afternoon for the funeral.

Click here to read Button Sikes’ obituary.

In December 2017, the at-the-time current and outgoing commissioners posed for a group shot following their last meeting of the year. Pictured are: back row, outgoing Precinct 2 Commissioner D.C. “Button” Sikes and Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Warren; front row, from left, Ed Russell, then-Precinct 1 Commissioner; Gary Fuller, outgoing County Judge; Rickie Carr, outgoing Precinct 4 Commissioner. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Cutline, top photo: Button Sikes, pictured at left in this 2017 photo of the Stephens County Commissioners Court, died today, Jan. 20, 2025. He served as Precinct 2 commissioner for 40 years, from January 1979 until December 2018. Also pictured are former County Commissioner Ed Russell, County Clerk Jackie Ensey, former County Judge Gary Fuller and Precinct 3 commissioner Will Warren. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

 

Related Breckenridge Texan articles:

Major changes on the horizon for Stephens County government (Dec. 6, 2017)

County commissioners wrap up year with last meeting (Dec. 27, 2018)

Letter from Button: Thank you to the community (Dec. 31, 2018)

Obituary: Button Sikes (Jan. 20, 2025)

 

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on Tuesday, Jan. 21, to include a link to the complete obituary for Button Sikes.

 

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