Sondra Morris Heacock

Ms. Sondra Morris Heacock passed from this earthly life at 3:15 in the afternoon on August 1st, 2024 in Clayton, North Carolina. Sondra Louise Morris was born in Birmingham, Alabama on May 9th, 1941 to the late Robert Bruce Morris and Blanche Olivia Barker Morris. Following a move to Gary, West Virginia in her teen years, Sondra graduated from high school in West Virginia, attended Fairmont for one year after making a deal with her father that if she would go there for one year, he would let her go back home to Alabama to attend the University of Alabama. While attending the University of Alabama in the 1960s, Sondra was very popular in campus life and active in her sorority and graduated with a degree in English/Language Arts Education and embarked upon her teaching career. Sondra taught elementary, middle, and high school throughout her long career in Atlanta, Georgia, Miami, Florida, and Metairie, Louisiana. She also earned a master's degree in education from the University of New Orleans.

It was in New Orleans that she met the love of her life, Jim Mauldin, who has been her constant companion and partner for over 20 years and eventually found their way to North Carolina. After Hurricane Katrina forced Jim and Sondra out of New Orleans for 60 days in the aftermath of the storm and they spent time visiting family in NC, they eventually settled in Clayton, North Carolina in 2008 where they have spent the last 16 years on Kensington Court traveling the world and hosting nightly meetings of the neighbors and neighborhood puppies in their driveway.

Sondra was an exemplary teacher who served as a mentor and model to new and veteran teachers. She won the Teacher of the Year Award numerous times and was known for her creativity and compassion. Sondra was a talented and artistic woman who painted beautiful oils of landscapes and scenery in her beloved Louisiana, created jewelry, gardened beautiful flowers and herbs, and collected many antiques and souvenirs from her and Jim’s travels around the world. Their move to NC was prompted by Katrina, but also coincided with her need to care for both her and Jim’s mothers in the later stages of their lives. The last few years have been spent traveling the world on cruises and trips to Hawaii, most of Europe, and almost all of the US as Jim completed several bike trips across the US. She was the most wonderful neighbor on the street, beloved by many friends, and was a wonderful substitute grandparent for all of the children on the street.

Sondra is survived by her loving partner and companion Mr. Jim Mauldin, a brother, Robert Bruce Morris, Jr. and other family members. A memorial service for Sondra will be held 7:00 PM Friday, August 9, 2024 in the chapel of McLaurin Funeral Home, 12830 US 70 Business Highway West, Clayton, North Carolina with Reverend Rick Gaskins officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home immediately following the memorial service. Inurnment will be held 3:00 PM Saturday, August 10, 2024 at Knollwood Memorial Park, Clayton, North Carolina.

Online condolences may be made to the family at: www.mclaurinatpinecrest.com.

McLaurin Funeral Home is honored to be assisting the family.