Lydia Cauley Sockwell

Lydia Cauley Sockwell, of Jacksonville, Florida, passed away on Sunday, December 6, 2015. Lydia was born March 2, 1937 in Broxton, Georgia and after graduating from high school she moved to Jacksonville where she met and married James L. Sockwell, her beloved husband of 58 years. She was the oldest of eleven children. After she married, her parents passed away leaving three children under the age of twelve. Lydia and her husband James adopted the three children and raised them as their own. After working for Independent Life Insurance Co. for 44 years, she retired in 1995 and then became a sales representative for Avon until 2014. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, where she was very active in her Sunday School class. She also worked as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. Lydia was an avid cook and enjoyed having friends over for dining and entertainment. She also enjoyed membership at her favorite gym and looked forward to being with all those involved.

Lydia is survived by her husband, James L. Sockwell; two sons, Joel P. Sockwell of Jacksonville and Thomas M. Cauley of Braselton, Georgia; four sisters, Jackie Meddows, Lorene Boney, Marjorie Booty, and Geneva Mansfield; three brothers, David, Jimmy, and Johnny Cauley; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son, Ray Sockwell; her mother and father, Hattie Mae and Leroy Cauley. She was a loving wife, mother, aunt, and friend who will be truly missed by all that knew her.

A Celebration of Life will be held at eleven o'clock in the morning on Thursday, December 10, 2015, at Hardage-Giddens, Hendricks Chapel, 4115 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida, followed by interment at Greenlawn Cemetery. For anyone wishing to make memorial gifts, the family would suggest the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. The family wishes to express its thanks to the staff at Life Care of Jacksonville, Sunrise Senior Living and Heartland Hospice for their care and support for Lydia.