Michael Allyn Stroud died peacefully in his sleep beside his beloved wife Lea at their home in Haughton, Louisiana before dawn on May 9 at the age of 58 following a courageous 3 ½ year battle with lung cancer.
A memorial service is scheduled for Monday, May 14 at Asbury United Methodist Church, 3200 Airline Drive, Bossier City, LA at 2 p.m. with visitation at 1 pm preceding the service. Reverend Susan Dungan will officiate at the service.
Allyn was born on September 2, 1959 in Shreveport, LA to A. M. Stroud, Jr. (“Buddy”) and Barbara White Stroud. The youngest of four brothers, he grew up in Dixie, LA until his parents moved to Jackson Barracks in New Orleans the summer after he finished eighth grade. He graduated from Holy Cross High School in 1977 and from Tulane University in 1981 with a B.A. in English and political science. He graduated with honors from Tulane Law School in 1984. Following graduation he entered the practice of law with the Shreveport firm of Blanchard, Walker, O’Quinn and Roberts. Thereafter he accepted a clerkship with the Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, Pascal Calogero, Jr. Allyn and the Justice developed a close bond during his tenure and they remained friends for the remainder of Allyn’s life. While at the Supreme Court, Allyn’s commitment to excellence and resulting work product were well known by the members of the Court. He relocated to Shreveport in 1995 and clerked for Magistrate Judge Roy Payne for three years before joining the firm of Wiener, Weiss and Madison in 1997, where he practiced law until health reasons forced him to retire in 2017. While clerking for Judge Payne, he met and subsequently married the love of his life, Lea McGee Beaty, on May 3, 1997.
In June of 2010 Allyn accepted the position of Pastor of Doyline United Methodist Church, where he served until health reasons prevented him from doing so in 2017. He was warmly welcomed by the sweet congregation of this beautiful country church and his gentle nature and humble demeanor were a wonderful fit for the position. Allyn sincerely loved the members of his church and was loved by them in return. He felt blessed beyond measure to have had this God given opportunity.
Allyn and Lea loved the great outdoors and spent many of their happiest times hiking the trails of Grand Teton National Park, floating the Snake River and exploring the Jackson Hole area in search of wildlife. They also loved spending time at their cabin on the Little Missouri River at Albert Pike where they made many dear friends and learned the rudiments of fly fishing (fish did not fear him). Allyn was a gifted writer and litigator with a quick dry wit who loved the simple things in life like reading or watching a movie beside a roaring fire in the fireplace, eating crawfish and corn on the cob, date nights at the Robinson Film Center, spending time with family and friends, and entertaining his grandchildren. One of his childhood heroes was Harmon Killebrew and he dearly loved the Minnesota Twins and occasional birthday trips to Minneapolis and Target Field.
Allyn attempted to live every day to the fullest. He was possessed of a gentle and kind spirit during his 58 years on this earth. He was a special gift from God who daily touched the lives of many with his compassion, his generosity, his laugh, and his understanding. His wholesomeness of character will live with all of us. Allyn Stroud’s moral compass was driven by his love of God. He was a good and decent man. We will miss him but take comfort in our knowledge that he is now in a place where there is no suffering or pain. He is with his heavenly Father and suffers no more.
Allyn is survived by his wife, best friend and soulmate Lea, three brothers and sisters-in-law Ansel Martin Stroud III and wife Joan of Shreveport, LA, Daniel Garber Stroud and wife Helen of The Woodlands, TX, and William Lee Stroud and wife Lee Ann of McDade, LA; two stepsons Travis Ross Beaty and wife Kristi, and Christopher Neil Beaty and wife Angela; three grandchildren Gus Beaty, Brooks Beaty, and Lainey Grace Beaty; mother-in-law Martha McGee and special friend Johnny Crow, and brother-in-law Barry Eugene McGee, Jr. (“Buck”) his wife Tina and their family, all of Haughton, LA; nephews Daniel (Yung Min), Andrew, Peter and Ansel; nieces Catherine, Courtney (P.J.) and Hannah; three first cousins and their spouses Bob Brandes and wife Jana of Fort Collins, CO, Melinda Henderson and husband Ron of Peoria, IL and Becky O’Brien and husband Joe, also of Peoria, IL. He is also survived by his stepmother Jane and her five children Betty Pearce, Mary-Clyde Greene and husband Wiley, Margaret Pearce Price, Louise Pearce, Preston Pearce and wife Karen. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his grandparents and his father-in-law Barry Eugene McGee.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in his name to Doyline United Methodist Church, 116 Main St., Doyline, LA 71023, or the charity of your choice. The family would like to thank very special caregivers Harriel Cole and LaToya Ford for their compassionate and extraordinary care in the final weeks of his life, as well as the staff of Amedisys Hospice.
