Betty Gaydon Gaydon

Betty Ann Gaydon passed away peacefully on September 29, 2025. She was a devoted grandmother, sister, and mother, whose vibrant spirit touched everyone she met.

Betty was born on August 9, 1946, at Alamance County Hospital in Burlington, NC, she was the beloved only daughter of Joe and Opal Gaydon of Graham. She grew up alongside her older brother, Bobby Joe Gaydon, in a close-knit family; they were members of Bethany Presbyterian Church.

From a young age, Betty radiated both grace and energy. She loved horseback riding, tennis, dogs, the beach, convertibles, and classic rock music. She was a talented dancer, and especially enjoyed “the Shag”! And she loved her daddy more than anything on this earth.

A graduate of Graham High School, Betty was elected Junior Homecoming Queen, a reflection of her charm and popularity. She went on to attend Durham Tech and Beaufort County Community College, where she discovered her passion for mental health, a calling that led to her career as a board-certified psychiatric nurse at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (Go Heels!) She dedicated her life to caring for others; her compassion and professionalism made a lasting impact on her patients and colleagues alike.

After retiring, Betty embraced a beautiful life on Harkers Island, where she enjoyed fishing and hosting friends with her longtime partner, Captain Stephen Grant. She treasured the simple joys of coastal living and built a warm “island family” around her.

Betty’s proudest role was as a mother and grandmother. She is lovingly remembered by her only daughter, Leigh Coble Sonkens of Salt Lake City, UT. Leigh cherishes memories of time spent with her mother along the Carolina coast and treasures how Betty helped her share in the joys of motherhood with her own children.

Betty is fondly remembered by her granddaughters, Bayleigh and Cassidy Sonkens of Seattle, WA. Summers with “their Gabby” and Captain Steve on Harkers Island were filled with fishing, delicious home-cooked dinners, and horror movies over bowls of ice cream. Betty always encouraged her granddaughters to pursue education and to never limit themselves, a testament to her unwavering support.

A few destinations remained on Betty’s travel bucket list—Panama, Tahiti, and England—and her daughter and granddaughters plan to honor those wishes in her memory.

She is survived by her daughter, Leigh Coble Sonkens; her granddaughters, Bayleigh and Cassidy Sonkens; her partner, Captain Stephen Grant; her sister-in-law, Lana Gaydon; her niece, Kin Woody “Little Kim”; also her extended family and friends who loved her dearly.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Opal Gaydon; her beloved brother, Bobby Joe Gaydon; and her niece and nephew, Kim and Kurt Gaydon.

Betty’s family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to her close friends—her cherished island family—and to the caregivers at Carteret Landing in Morehead City for their kindness and support during her final days.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Betty’s honor to Coastal Conservation Association of NC, 4809 Hargrove Road #123, Raleigh, NC 27616.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.