Janet Elizabeth Leach

Janet Elizabeth “Liz” Leach, age 73, of Lafayette La., passed away on Monday, April 21, 2025. Visitation will be at Escude Funeral Home, Cottonport, LA , 4 P.M. - 8 P.M. Thursday, April 24th, and Friday 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Assumption Church. A Funeral Mass will be held in her honor beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Friday April 25th at St. Mary Assumption Church in Cottonport with Father Charles Ray officiating. A reception follows immediately at the CYO Center. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Escude Funeral Home.

Those left to cherish her memory are her brothers; Craig Leach (Janice) and Lee Leach (Peggy). Her nieces and nephews; Kaya Vice (Eric), Bryan Leach (LeeAnna), Trent Leach, Ben Leach (Amber), Tammy Wilson, Janna Leach, Christopher Leach (Alexandra)and Michael Leach. Great nieces and nephews; Chaeli, Cecilia, Isaac, Amelia & Dominic Vice. Emma, Leyton & Abbey, Wyatt, Adeline, Brayden, William, Catherine & Penelope Leach and Tatum Wilson, and her companion Rodney Wynn.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Russell Richard Leach Sr. and Janet Leach, and her brother Russell Richard Leach Jr.

Liz was a devoted and loving daughter, sibling, and aunt. She was just as much of a devoted and loving friend not only to her family and extended family, but to the infinite number of people she encountered in her lifetime. Her family members have been told many times by her friends that Liz was a person who always tried to make things better for someone who found themselves in a depressing or troubling life situation. Liz also spent a good number of years taking on the task of caring for her father and mother in their final years of life. One of the things she was most admired for by her family was her extreme dedication to being a teacher. Liz loved to teach. She not only taught but became more than a teacher in the lives of some of the children in her care who may have had some kind of turmoil going on in their lives. She would go the “extra mile” to bring a sense of comfort and caring to these children. Not only to children, but to a lot of her adult friends navigating some kind of real-world life problem. She was definitely someone who “had your back” and who could be counted on for having a sympathetic ear.

Liz never had children of her own as her nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews were her “children” as well as many of the children of her close friends. One of those close friends once made the loving comment “My son is really Liz’s, not mine”. She was one of those rare people who would willingly and lovingly take charge of one or a number of rambunctious children and care for them for a couple of days, or longer, while their weary parents recovered from the sometimes seemingly crazy task of raising kids. She reveled in watching over kids.

Besides her teaching career (40 plus years in the Lafayette parish school system) and loving her family and friends, Liz’s other main interests in life were family gatherings, traveling and going to the beach. She loved having all of her family in one place at the same time. The beach was at the top of her list, particularly with her girlfriends. That was something she really enjoyed and made sure she went 3 to 4 times a year.

There are many “Liz stories” as all of her family and friends know. That’s one of the things that will keep smiles on the faces of those lucky enough to have known her. We will need those memories to help keep smiles on our faces especially now. We are all sad that she has left us. But she has now been freed of her physical limitations and no doubt is in her Father’s house.

We love you Liz. Your time in this world was too short. We take comfort in the fact that we will be reunited with you one day.

The family would like to thank the staff of Pelican Pointe Healthcare and Rehabilitation and Lamm Family Care Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, her family request that donation be made to CureSMA.org in honor of her niece, Janna.