Louis Wade Gilley

Louis "Wade" Gilley, 47, of Moss Bluff passed away Thursday September 14, 2023.

Wade was born in New Orleans, LA and was a lifelong resident of the Gillis/Moss Bluff area. He was a 1994 graduate of Sam Houston High School, where he was a four-year letterman of the football team, the rodeo team, Louisiana Rookie of the Year his Freshman year, awarded Cutting Horse forth in the state his Senior year and was a member of the National High School Rodeo Association.  He was a 2006 graduate of McNeese State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and a Health and Human Performance. He began his coaching career as an intern Linebacker Coach at Iowa High School and following graduation started as the Head Boys Athletic Coach at J.I. Watson Middle School and later the P.E. Coach of J.I. Watson Elementary and volunteer coach at Moss Bluff Middle School. Amongst his coaching, his favorite position was as a sideline coach and cheerleader for his sons’ athletics events. Wade was an avid outdoorsman, creating lots of memorable stories of sometimes risky, most often successful, adventures in duck hunting with his sidekick, Blake.  He was a was a great cook, often looking forward to the next cook-off competition. Jambalaya, gumbo and rice and gravy were his specialties. His down time was often spent keeping a meticulous, well-groomed yard and relaxing on the patio to tunes of his faves: “Waylon, Willie and the boys”. Wade will be most remembered for his love of family and his great pride in humbly boasting about his sons and the admirable young men they have become. He was a man of faith, having made his Cursillo Retreat in 2006 and was a member of St. Theodore Catholic Church.

He leaves to honor his memory, his loving wife of nineteen years, Lauren Richard Gilley of Moss Bluff; two sons, Louis Gaige Gilley and Jack Brennan Gilley, both of Moss Bluff; mother, Bonnie Reeves Gilley of Moss Bluff; brother, Christopher Sean Gilley and wife Taylor of Macon, GA; sister, Lindsay Gilley Dering and husband William “Brett” of Lake Charles; paternal grandmother, Marcia Ann Gilley of Lake Charles; mother-in-law, Mary Ann Richard of Lake Charles; godchild, Braden Fontenot and his extended Richard family.

He was preceded in death by his father, Louis Dwayne Gilley; paternal grandfather, Louis “Bud” Gilley; maternal grandfather, John L. Reeves; maternal grandmother, Pat Stine Reeves; uncles, Norman Reeves, Cody Reeves and Dana Gilley; cousin, Jeremy Lynn Reeves; father-in-law, Roe Richard and his best friend, Kenny Fontenot.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:00 AM Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at St. Theodore Catholic Church.  Father Aubrey Guilbeau will officiate. Interment services will follow in New Ritchie Cemetery. Visitation Monday will be from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM with an ACTS rosary beginning at 6:30 PM at Johnson Funeral Home of Moss Bluff.  Visitation Tuesday will be from 9:30 AM until the time of service at St. Theodore.