In addition to her parents, Gayle was preceded in death by her husband Barry Weldon Coffey, and her brother James William Watson, Jr.
Her passion for music led her to Appalachian State, where she began as a music major. Ever the pragmatist, she switched to studying business. After graduation, she owned and ran several different businesses--starting with a soda and ice cream shop and a children’s clothing store in Hudson, NC. To satisfy her daughter’s passion for horseback riding, she owned and operated Patterson Stables for several years. She founded Metalx, Inc. in 1980 with her husband Barry. Originally a metal plating facility, Metalx turned to manufacturing environmentally non-toxic alternatives to the conventional acids and cyanide-based formulations that were currently being used in the metal finishing industry. Barry invented and patented the chemical formulas, acting as the company’s chief technical officer. Gayle ran the business side as the company’s CEO until her retirement.
She loved giving gifts, feeding people, doing arts and crafts, reading, spending time with her family, and traveling.
Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter, Dr. Tonya Coffey and husband Dr. Christopher Thaxton of Boone and their children, Nick and Zoe Thaxton, and her sister, Pam Lackey.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at 3 pm in the Chapel of Pendry’s Lenoir Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends from 2 pm until 3 pm, prior to the memorial service at Pendry’s Lenoir Funeral Home.
Pendry’s Lenoir Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family of Gayle Watson Coffey.
