It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Rebecca Lewis Tobat. She passed away peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on March 5, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.
She was born on Sept. 25, 1941 in Nashville, Tennessee, the daughter of Robert Lenoir Lewis and Gabrilla Vincent Lewis. After her parents’ separation, she was raised and dearly loved by her paternal grandmother, a devout Christian woman. She attended school in Nashville until the 10th grade, at which time she moved to Seaford to live with her father and his wife, Wilma.
She graduated from Seaford High School with the class of 1960. While in high school, she met the love of her life, Jimmy Tobat. They were married on September 2, 1960 in a small ceremony with her best friend Charlotte Graham as her maid-of-honor. She and Charlotte remained friends for 60 plus years. While living in Seaford, Rebecca and Jimmy welcomed their three children Karen, Heidi, and James. Soon after James was born, the family moved to Laurel. It was around this time that she came to know Jesus as her Lord and Savior.
Tobat worked at many different jobs in her life. Some of these are as a seamstress at Phillips Men’s Shop and as a school bus driver in Laurel and for R & M Buses. In her retirement years, she volunteered as a counselor for the Sussex Pregnancy Care Center. Mom was a staunch defender of the lives of the pre-born. Along with caring for and supporting her family, she retained relationships with quite a few friends. She had several ladies she went to lunch with and regularly took others to doctor appointments and stayed with friends when they were ill. She attended Delmar Christian Center for many years and was a member of Living Stones Church. She also attended Bible study at Crossroads Community Church. She was also very involved in the Delaware Family Policy Council.
She was predeceased by her husband James Louis Tobat, Jr. in 2016, her parents Robert Lewis and Gabrilla Vincent Lewis, her step-mother Wilma Rice and her half-brother Robert Lewis. She is survived by her daughter Karen Erixson and husband Mike, her daughter Heidi McAllister and husband Douglas, and her son James. She also leaves to cherish her memory, her grandchildren Shanen Truitt, Courtney Whaley, Matthew Erixson, Rachel Erixson, Luke Erixson, Douglas ‘Mac’ McAllister, and Karl McAllister. She also leaves her great-grandchildren Carter Lee, Alexander Lee, Abigail Drehmer, Phoenix Truitt, Boston Truitt, and Conner Hastings, and a great-great-granddaughter Emilee. She is also survived by her half-sister Janie Zygiel of Denton, Texas, her half-sister Carrie Gallegos of Palm Desert, California, and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Frank and Linda Tobat and family. She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews. And last but not least, she leaves her beloved cat, “Punkin.”
A celebration of her life will be held at Living Stones Church in Salisbury on April 2 at 11 with visitation at 10. Burial will be private. Arrangements are being handled by Hannigan-Short-Disharoon Funeral Home in Laurel.