Rebecca E. Johnson

Simpson, LA - Rebecca E. Johnson, age 74, passed away on Friday, July 24, 2026 at her residence in Crowley. Rebecca was born on August 13, 1951 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and she was a longtime resident of Simpson, LA, and later, Crowley, LA. She found deep joy in life’s simplest pleasures and held close the quiet, tender moments shared with those she loved. An avid reader, she especially delighted in romance novels, true-life stories, and westerns, and she had a gift for retelling each book to her family with such vivid passion that it felt as though they, too, had stepped inside the story and lived it alongside her. She loved old country and classic rock, and one of her most cherished traditions was playing Christmas music in the middle of July with her granddaughter, filling ordinary days with unexpected magic. She found peace in slow, quiet mornings with a warm cup of coffee, surrounded by the beauty of nature. Her love for flowers ran so deep that she lovingly connected each of her children and grandchildren to a different bloom, as if each one carried its own living symbol of her heart. She also found great joy in trying new recipes and sharing them around the table with her family, where love was always the main ingredient. Above all, she treasured her family, especially the precious time she spent with her great-grandbaby, who brought her immeasurable joy and lit up her world in a way nothing else could. She will be remembered for her strength, intelligence, determination, and spirited, feisty nature. Though strong-willed and stubborn at times, she carried a heart that showed care in her own quiet and practical ways. Her legacy lives on in the traditions she created, the stories she so vividly shared, the family she held so dear, and the impact she made on the lives of those who knew her. Rebecca is survived by her children, Thomas Edwards II (Aprel) and Amanda R. Bourgeois; her grandchild, Dusty R. Bourgeois; her great-grandchild, Aria L. Gill; her siblings, Brenda Gavin of Hixon, TN and Debra Smith of Soddy Daisy, TN; as well as her nieces and nephews, Bryan Deason, Andrew Gavin, and Candice Smith. She was preceded in death by her parents, Essie Marine Hurt Phelps and Stanfred Erdmond Phelps; as well as her niece, Allison Shaltz. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the doctors, nurses, and staff at Heart of Hospice and especially her nurse practitioner Stephen Lacaze for the care and compassion they gave to Rebecca in her time of need. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Simpson, LA. Arrangements have been entrusted to Cypress Funeral Home & Crematory, 206 W. Lafayette St., Maurice, LA 70555.

Rebecca E. Johnson

August 13, 1951 - July 24, 2026