Freddie Frances Ayres

Freddie Frances Cleveland Ayres, 84, of The Woodlands, Texas, formerly of Lake Charles, passed away Friday October 6, 2017 at a Conroe, Texas care center with her family at her side.

Ms. Ayres was a native of Alexandria, Louisiana and a longtime resident of Lake Charles. Her father, Fred B. Cleveland, was a longtime barber at the Bentley Hotel in Alexandria, who often times told the story of how he once shook the hand of Uncle Earl Long at a rally in Alexandria. Her mother Frances was a homemaker and worked for several years at the Green Stamp Store in Alexandria. Ms. Ayres was named after both her mother and father and known by her friends at Bolton High School as “Freddie-Frances Cleveland”. After her graduation from Bolton High School, she attended LSU for a year until, as she would proudly say, she attained her “Mrs.” degree. She met the love of her life, Second Lieutenant John H. Ayres and shortly after marriage moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas where they began their family with the birth of the first of five children.

Preceding her in death are her parents, beloved husband, and a son, Scott Ayres. Those left to honor and cherish her memories are four children, Frances Ayres Handy (Major), Lafayette, LA, John Ayres (Deb), of Denham Springs, LA, Robert “Bobby” Ayres (Colleen), The Woodlands, TX, William “Billy” Cleveland Ayres, Willis, TX; grandchildren, Scott Ayres, Jr. (Julie) and Diamon Ayres, Alyson Schexnayder, Laura Hall, and Leslie Robertson, Rachel Ayres, Valerie Burge (Cory), Andrew Ayres and Daniel Ayres, great grandchildren, Elizabeth Frances Hall, Abigail Grace Hall, Frances Ann Schexnayder and Faye Frances Robertson; one sister, Jackie Poole (Charles) of Omaha, NB and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

The family would like to extend special thanks to the staff of Vitas Health Care who attended her well, and to her son Robert (Bobby) Ayres and her youngest son William “Billy” Ayres who lived near her in The Woodlands, TX, and over the last years happily carried much of the burden of her care and comfort.

Visitation will be at Johnson Funeral home on Tuesday October 10, 2017 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Visitation will resume on Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the funeral home. Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM on Wednesday October 11, 2017 at Johnson Funeral Home with Rev. Randy Edwards officiating. Burial will follow at Prien Memorial Park.