Cleon Berchard Harris Sr.

The first of 3 children, Cleon Harris was born on June 8,1940, to Chester and Mildred Pollard Harris in Shelby County, TX.

He graduated from high school in Carlisle, TX, went on to attend Kilgore Junior College, Kilgore, TX, and later Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.

He was drafted in the U.S. Army and he and first wife Linda LeBlanc spent most of his tenure in Fort Sill, OK.

Returning to Baton Rouge, he became the owner and CEO of The Metalock Corp and later formed Engineered Mechanical Services.

The joys of his life, his son Cleon B. Harris Jr (Berch) was born in 1963 followed by daughter Leslie in 1965.

Cleon was remarried in 1973 to Carolyn Lister Ballard of Houston, TX. Remaining in Baton Rouge for a number of years, he relocated to the Lafayette, LA, area where he co-founded Life Extension Technologies (L.E.Tech). His specialty was the repair and refurbishment of large equipment for the oil and gas, chemical, and paper companies, as well as electric-utility turbines.

Final retirement meant devoting his time to his beloved Appaloosa horses on his farm near Broussard, LA.

After a long battle with career-associated COPD, Cleon passed away on November 19, 2025.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his son and younger sister.

Survivors include his wife Carolyn, daughter Leslie and son-in-law Brandon Dennis of Shreveport, LA, brother Eddie and sister-in-law Cindy Harris of Beaumont, TX. and one granddaughter.

Memorial service and cremation to be held at Colligan Crematory on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 2 p.m. as per his wishes.