Susan Toler Travis

Susan Toler Travis, 53, passed away in her home Saturday, April 11. Visitation begins at 9:30 Wednesday morning at Northminster Baptist Church in Jackson, followed immediately by the memorial service at 11:00.She is survived by her mother, Judy Travis Mullen and her aunt, Barbara Toler Todd; daughter, Mary Travis Barkley (31); son, William Donald Barkley, III (27); daughter, Susannah Barrett Barkley (24) and son, Colin McRae Ridgway (9).She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Cecil Travis and her grandparents, Mae and Cecil Travis and Ruth and Henry Toler.Susan was born in New Haven, CT, where her parents were living while her father pursued graduate studies in law at Yale University. Shortly after she was born, the family returned to their hometown of Jackson, MS. Susan attended St. Andrews Episcopal School through the tenth grade and then transferred to Jackson Preparatory School where she graduated in 1980. She then earned a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Mississippi in 1984, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. She later went on to pursue a master's degree in the field of Educational Counseling.For nearly 20 years, Susan has enjoyed a career in the Interior Design field. She was the manager of the Interiors Market in Jackson for 15 years and most recently, had left her job to pursue her dream of owning her own design business, "Simply Alluring Interiors", which focused on interior design and home staging. Susan had a talent and passion for helping her clients create beautiful and sophisticated homes that expressed their personalities and suited their lifestyles. Susan was a devoted mother to her children - spending time with her family and friends was her ultimate pleasure in life. She loved to laugh and to make others laugh; she was rarely seen without a smile. As an only child, Susan's friends were like her sisters; she was a faithful and loving friend to so many. Merging friendship with another passion of hers, cooking, resulted in her being a part of a supper club with both high school and college friends for going on 27 years.Susan was an avid traveller; her adventurous personality and love for new experiences took her on countless trips all over the world. Happiest at the beach and around water, Susan enjoyed many trips to the ocean with her family and friends, especially while her mother and her step-father were living in Vero Beach, FL.Through her caring and giving spirit, her warm heart and her fierce love for her children, Susan leaves a legacy of genuine relationships with people who loved her and will miss her deeply.Susan was a member of Northminster Baptist Church.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children or Northminster Baptist Church.