Susan Lloyd Ayres Harrison

Susan Merle Lloyd Ayres Harrison was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 26, 1937. She grew up in Valpariso, Indiana. At age 17 she ventured to college at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and met her beloved husband, Jim Ayres in her freshman French class. 

Susan is preceded in death by her parents, William and Merle Lloyd; her brother, Bill Lloyd; her nephew, James Lloyd; her aunt and uncle, Leland and Jean Haugen; her husband, James Ewing Ayres (Jim) and her second husband, Leland Montcrieff Harrison (Monty). Susan was blessed to experience two loves in one lifetime.

Susan is survived by her daughter, Laura Ayres LeBlanc and husband, Mike; her son, Leland (Lee) Harrison Ayres and wife, Jennifer; her grandchildren, James LeBlanc and wife, Kristine, Aaron-Ashley LeBlanc Yorn and husband, Sereya, Victoria Ayres Bowen and husband, Jordan, Mary Virginia Ayres, Isabella Ayres, Harrison Ayres; her great-grandchildren, Henry and Peter Yorn, Peyton and Natalie LeBlanc, and Isaac Bowen; niece, Katie Lloyd Mansfield and husband, Bill and her nephews, Bill Lloyd, John Lloyd, Robert Lloyd and David Lloyd.

Susan loved the Lord, people and pets. She lived her life to the fullest spreading love and light everywhere she went. One word that describes Susan is “Enthusiastic”. She was enthusiastic about everything and everyone. She was everybody’s cheerleader and believed the best in others.  Susan fiercely loved her family and friends.

Susan loved shopping. Many could say Susan was good for the economy. She loved to read, travel, go to church and the movies and she loved wonderful restaurants. Susan also loved the Shreveport Symphony. But above all, Susan loved her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Susan spent most of her adult life teaching countless Bible Studies and Sunday School classes to both the older and younger generations as well as her peers. When she moved to Baton Rouge in 2021, she continued to spread her love of the Lord to everyone she met. As her health faded, her spirit, her love for God and people remained strong. The joy of the Lord was and IS her strength.

A special thanks to the staff and her friends at Williamsburg Senior Living Community in Baton Rouge. Each of you touched her life in a deep and meaningful way. Each of you filled her heart with happiness, security and a sense of safety. Each of you completed the puzzle of her life.

A special thanks to Brennan, Dionne, Valerie, Gracie and Lauren of Baton Rouge Hospice.  Your physical, emotional and spiritual care of our mother and our family will forever and always be appreciated.

Thank you to Brenda and Kerrie Smith for your tender loving and compassionate hands and hearts on care you extended to our Mama the last two months of her life. You are both part of our family.

And to Susan’s “God Daughters”, Carol Crooms, Leigh Ann O’Brien, Roxanne Prentis and Hilary Spelling...thank you for loving our Mom all of your lives. She loves you so much. 

Honoring Susan as pallbearers will be Harrison Ayres, James LeBlanc, Larry Lindsey, Paul Wilson, Woody Wilson, Sereya Yorn and Litt Martin. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Sonny Byrd, Dr. Lacey Williams, Charles Salley and Jay Crooms.

In lieu of flowers...Smile. Give someone a hug. Tell them you love them and how wonderful they are. Try to live life with a sense of awe and wonder.

The family suggests memorials may be made to First Methodist Church of Shreveport, 500 Common St., Shreveport, LA 71101, Baton Rouge Hospice, 3600 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806, First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge, 763 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70802,  The Shreveport Symphony, P.O. Box 20, Shreveport, LA 71162-0205 or a church or charity of your choice. 

A burial will be held at Forest Park Cemetery, St. Vincent at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, September 1, 2023 with a Celebration of Life following at 11:00 a.m. at First Methodist Church, 500 Common St., Shreveport, Louisiana. A visitation will be held at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall St., Shreveport, Louisiana from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 31, 2023. Officiating the service will be Reverend Ed Dilworth.