Sondra Mooney Nobles

Sondra Mooney Nobles passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Southport, North Carolina, on December 23, 2025, at the age of 85. She was born on July 13, 1940, in Whiteville, North Carolina. Sondra is survived by her two sons and their wives, John and Karen Nobles, Joey and Sherry Nobles, her grandchildren and their spouses, Emily Nobles, William Nobles, Amanda and Rex Malson, John Nobles Jr., Zachary and Olivia Nobles, and her great-grandchildren, Milani and Sophia Nobles. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years, Billy Norman Nobles, in the year 2020.

Sondra was an only child of John Willis and Kathleen Carter Mooney. She grew up in Chadbourn, North Carolina where she attended elementary and high school. In her younger years she studied voice, piano, flute, tap dancing, acrobatics, water skiing, boating, swimming and water safety. She was a member of the varsity basketball, Cheerleading and Dance teams.

During the summer of 1950 she saved her mother and a ten-year-old friend from drowning. That incident gave Sondra the incentive to dedicate a portion of her life toward teaching others to swim and served for many years as a Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructor. She taught many children and their parents how to swim. She also taught Life Saving classes certifying Life Guards in Lake Waccamaw and Fayetteville, North Carolina. Sondra acquired a chauffeur’s license and helped by driving the athletic bus and school bus when needed during a severe epidemic in 1957. She was honored as recipient of the “Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship Award”. After High School she attended Brown Preparatory School in Philadelphia, PA., and graduated in 1958.

Sondra was a lifelong learner and teacher. She had a long and distinguished career in education. She earned her Bachelor’s (1962) and Master’s (1966) degrees from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Advanced Sixth-year education administration degree from East Carolina University. She taught students at all levels, from college to elementary school before transitioning into education administration, serving as an elementary school principal for many years. Sondra touched the lives of many students at education institutions including Broad Street Jr. High (Burlington, NC), Horace Sisk Jr. High (Fayetteville, NC), Southeastern Community College (Whiteville, NC), Hope Mills High School (Hope Mills, NC), Methodist College (Fayetteville, NC), and many elementary schools in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Sondra was passionate about motivating students and dedicated herself to inspiring them to develop a love for learning. During her tenor She was elected Teacher and Principal of the Year in the Cumberland County school system. Her impact as an educator and her unwavering commitment to her students will be remembered by many.

In addition to an outstanding career in education, her civic service through the years included president of several parent-teacher associations, booster clubs, American Red Cross, Heart Fund, Boy Scouts of America, Chadbourn Methodist Church, Christ United Methodist Church, Haymount United Methodist Church, 4-H Club, F.H.A., Whiteville Assembly Order of the Rainbow for Girls, and Fayetteville’s Community Concerts. During her years as a professor at Methodist College, she coached women’s softball, volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, and cheerleading. She also taught archery, bowling, and women’s self-defense.

During her retirement years, Sondra and Bill loved to travel and visited most of the USA and many other countries across the globe. However, there was one special place called Lake Waccamaw, NC, that they loved the most. No one loved Lake Waccamaw more than Sondra. For six generations it has been the favorite family gathering place and her summer home. She also loved her local book club and bridge club in Fayetteville. The members of those clubs became some of her closest friends through the years.

Sondra will be remembered for her kindness, strength, and deep love she gave her family, friends and students. Her sons, daughter-in-law’s, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy. She had a heart of gold and always thought of others before herself. Her memory will live on in the hearts of her family and all who knew her.

On January 10th at 1pm, a celebration of life service will be held at Haymount United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Haymount United Methodist Church, Lake Waccamaw Boys and Girls Home, or Lake Waccamaw Depot Museum in her memory.

Online condolences may be made at www.peacocknewnamwhite.com

Peacock - Newnam & White Funeral and Cremation Service, Southport, North Carolina.