Betty Sue Doke Golden

Betty Sue Doke Golden, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on October 16, 2025. Born July 6, 1936, in Wilkinson County, Georgia, Betty’s life was marked by perseverance, love, and service to others.

Growing up in a modest country home during the Great Depression, Betty faced early hardships, including her father’s lifelong hospitalization and her mother’s challenges as a single parent. Despite these difficulties, Betty developed a caring spirit, becoming a caregiver to her younger siblings and later extending that compassion to her own children.

In post-war America, Betty married and began her career at the local Air Force base. She dedicated many years to civil service, advancing from clerk-typist to a GS-11 military contract auditor through hard work and determination, serving in Georgia and Florida. After retiring, she built a loving circle of friends in Milledgeville and later moved with her husband, William Byron Golden, to Warner Robins, Georgia, to be closer to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Betty was a devoted parent and grandparent, enthusiastically supporting her children’s academic and sports pursuits while also volunteering in her community. She cherished her pets and found joy in camping, gardening, birdwatching, and antiquing. Her travels took her across the U.S. and abroad, and her faith remained a guiding force as a member of Sandy Valley Baptist Church.

In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her first husband, Arthur Bowman Bryant; and her grandson, Bradley DeFoor.

Betty’s legacy lives on through her husband of 50 years, William Byron Golden; children, Arthur Steven and Stanley Gerald Bryant; grandson, Tyler Houston Bryant; great-grandson, Tucker Easton Bryant, sisters, Jackie Wallace and Brenda Tribble; brother, Edward Beck Jr.; and stepchildren, Karen Golden Smith (Walon) and Terri Golden DeFoor (D.Jay). She was blessed with grandchildren, Shelley DeFoor Franks, Clayton DeFoor, Jessica Smith Minnigan, and Julie Smith Dearing; as well as great-grandchildren, Mayla Bradley DeFoor, Finley Dearing, Nash Dearing, Julian Minnigan, and Kean Minnigan.

A visitation with family and friends will be held on Sunday, October 19, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Sandy Valley Baptist Church. A funeral service honoring Betty’s life will immediately follow at 2:00 p.m. Afterward, Betty Doke Golden will be laid to rest privately.

Go to www.mcculloughfh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.