Deceased Information

• DECEASED

  Rebecca Jean Ries

• AGE

  59

• DATE OF DEATH

  Saturday, April 17, 2021 (Before Sunset)

• DATE OF FUNERAL

  Monday, April 19, 2021

• TIME OF FUNERAL

  1:30 PM

• PLACE OF FUNERAL

  Zoom (due to Covid19)

• PLACE OF BURIAL

  Zoom (due to Covid19)

• DONATIONS

  • ❖ The Temple’s Weinberg Early Learning Center (WELC)

  • ❖ The Temple Choir

• OBITUARY

  Click HERE to view the funeral live.

  Meeting ID: 829 2865 1847
  Passcode: 621904

  Rebecca Jean Gewin Ries was 59 when cancer took her from us. How many people she touched during her life’s journey!

  Rebecca was a native Atlantan who lived in the city all her life, save for a few years she was dragged kicking and screaming to Alabama. There was no one like her. She joked that her curvaceous body and small hands and feet were proof she was assembled with spare parts.

  She was most proud to be David’s wife and West’s mother. She somehow persuaded the lifetime bachelor to take the plunge. Their 19 years of marriage, while way too short, was filled with affection, laughter, encouragement, intelligent conversation and just a love of being with each other. Rebecca was also a loving parent to West, an advocate, a teacher and a friend. Hearing them sing together was like hearing a pair of angels.

  Rebecca also adored her preschoolers at The Temple’s Weinberg Early Learning Center. She loved every child as if he or she was her own. She was also art teacher at The Bregman Religious School at The Temple. Her creativity was endless. Her husband called her “MacGyver.” You would never throw anything out before checking first whether Rebecca could make something out of it.

  Prior to becoming a teacher, Rebecca had a illustrious radio career. She started that career before she could even drive, at age 15. For 16 years, she hosted “Atlanta’s Love Songs” on B98.5. “Rebecca Stevens” wasn’t just a role she played, it was her...lover of life. She also met her husband there, when David called the wrong station to ask about a novelty song he had heard. Rebecca had a feeling this guy needed to be in her life and vice-versa. Rebecca also worked in the Met Lab at The Weather Channel, as a floral arranger, a manager at Bird Watcher Supply and other places. She would be shopping at Michael’s and help another customer with an arrangement.

  Rebecca loved people. She never met a stranger. Even while fighting cancer, she would bring candy to those delivering the infusion. Always focused on others, she would hate this tribute. Her kindness and huge heart touched so many.

  Besides David and West, Rebecca is survived by her brother, Britt Gewin Jr. and her teaching colleagues and students who loved “Miss Rebecca”

  In lieu of flowers, if you would like to honor Rebecca, please consider a donation to The Temple’s Weinberg Early Learning Center (WELC) or The Temple Choir.