Rebecca Lee Gayden, 80, of Lake Charles died at home on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, following a battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Born in DeQuincy, she was a member of Morning Star Baptist Church in DeQuincy.
She graduated from Grand Avenue High School in 1963 and earned her degree in Elementary Education from Grambling College in 1967. She moved to Los Angeles, Calif., and dedicated numerous years to thousands of students in early childhood education.
Rebecca was preceded in death by her husband, David Gayden; father, Mose Thomas, Sr.; mother, Ella Gums Thomas; and one brother.
She is survived by five sisters, Ruthie Carter of Beaumont, Calif., Alice Brown on Elkhart, Ind., Loicy Thomas Scott of Lake Charles, Louella David of DeQuincy, and Mary Mallory of Lake Charles; one brother, Mose Thomas, Jr. of DeQuincy; stepdaughter, Debra Gayden Carter of Baton Rouge; and stepson, Ronald Wayne (Tiwana) Gayden of Lake Charles.
A celebration of her life was held on Saturday, Jan. 3, at King’s Funeral Home Chapel in Lake Charles. Burial followed at Paradise Cemetery in DeQuincy.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Gayden’s memory may be made to the Eljay Foundation for Parkinson Awareness, Inc. at P.O. Box 16558, Lake Charles LA 70616.
