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Eakin was born on the Compromise Plantation in the Lyles community at Loyd Bridge near Cheneyville in south Rapides Parish.. She was the eldest child of the nine surviving children of Samuel Pickles Lyles, Sr., and the former Mary Myrtle Guy.<ref name=clamar>{{cite web|url=http://cenlamar.com/2009/09/19/sue-eakin-1918-2009/|title=Sue Eakin (1918-2009)|publisher=cenlamar.com|accessdate=October 26, 2019}}</ref> She attended local schools and graduated from Lecompte High School in nearby Lecompte.<ref name=adtt>Richard P. Sharkey, "Noted Louisiana historian Sue Eakin of Bunkie dead at 90," ''Alexandria Town Talk,'' September 21, 2009.</ref>​

Eakin was born on the Compromise Plantation in the Lyles community at Loyd Bridge near Cheneyville in south Rapides Parish.. She was the eldest child of the nine surviving children of Samuel Pickles Lyles, Sr., and the former Mary Myrtle Guy.<ref name=clamar>{{cite web|url=http://cenlamar.com/2009/09/19/sue-eakin-1918-2009/|title=Sue Eakin (1918-2009)|publisher=cenlamar.com|accessdate=October 26, 2019}}</ref> She attended local schools and graduated from Lecompte High School in nearby Lecompte.<ref name=adtt>Richard P. Sharkey, "Noted Louisiana historian Sue Eakin of Bunkie dead at 90," ''Alexandria Town Talk,'' September 21, 2009.</ref>​

After completing her college degree, on January 31, 1941, Sue Lyles married Paul Mechlin Eakin, Sr.,<ref name=obit/> (1917-1995) of [[Pittsburgh]], urgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], later [[New Jersey]]. They resided in Bunkie, where he was an accountant and she a professional freelance journalist and a columnist]for ''The Alexandria Town Talk'' in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], the  ''Opelousas Daily World'' in Opelousas in St. Landry Parish,  and the ''New Orleans Times-Picayune.''  From 1957 to 1959, Paul and Sue Eakin also owned and operated ''The Bunkie Record'' newspaper.<ref name=obit/>

After completing her college degree, on January 31, 1941, Sue Lyles married Paul Mechlin Eakin, Sr.,<ref name=obit/> (1917-1995) of [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], later [[New Jersey]]. They resided in Bunkie, where he was an accountant and she a professional freelance journalist and a columnist]for ''The Alexandria Town Talk'' in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], the  ''Opelousas Daily World'' in Opelousas in St. Landry Parish,  and the ''New Orleans Times-Picayune.''  From 1957 to 1959, Paul and Sue Eakin also owned and operated ''The Bunkie Record'' newspaper.<ref name=obit/>

At the age of forty-two in 1960, Eakin began graduate work at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] to earn two master's degrees, one in journalism and the other in history. She was one of thirteen women students in the nation to receive an educational grant from the American Association of University Women.<ref name=adtt/>

At the age of forty-two in 1960, Eakin began graduate work at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] to earn two master's degrees, one in journalism and the other in history. She was one of thirteen women students in the nation to receive an educational grant from the American Association of University Women.<ref name=adtt/>