Earnest Cook Sikes

Earnest Cook Sikes, 78, of Cusseta, Alabama passed away Wednesday, October 29, 2025.

Cook was born in the Fairfax, Alabama community on August 27, 1947 to Earnest Pierce and Bernice Cook Sikes.

He graduated from Valley High School in 1965, and then attended Auburn University where he received a BS in Agricultural Science. After graduation he was employed by the Alabama Farmers Home Administration working in Alabama communities and providing loans and grants for rural housing, community development and farming operations to farmers across the state. He served in this capacity in county FHA offices in Camden, Troy, Luverne, Monroeville and Hartselle. In 1975 he was employed by Pennington Seed as a wholesale seed distributor for several southern states. He assisted in opening new offices in various Alabama, Mississippi and Louisianna towns. While living in Hartselle he was very active in civic affairs. He was President of the Morgan County Jaycees. Under his leadership the Jaycees completed and opened Sparkman Park in Hartselle in honor of the then US Senator John Sparkman.

In 1990 he moved back to the Lee County area and purchased his own farm supply store, Sikes Feed and Seed in Opelika. He opened additional stores for the Purina dealership in Auburn. He was an Alabama Master Gardener. He retired in 2014 after 24 years of owning and managing farm supply stores. His whole career of forty-four years was rooted in agriculture and was spent doing what he loved most—helping others grow quality plants, farm animals, and pets.

He loved college football, particularly Auburn football. He was a member of the 50-year Auburn University Life Alumni Club.

He is survived by a son, Jason C. Sikes (Leann); daughter, Julie Sikes-Speir; three grandsons: Laird Landers, Sikes Speir, and James Pierce Speir; and two granddaughters: Jessica Sikes and Jennifer Claire Sikes.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service beginning at 10:00 AM at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home. Steve Garnett is to officiate.