The Quiet Family Story of Rhea Alice Gumbel and Her Remarkable Broadcasting Family

Rhea Alice Gumbel’s life unfolded mostly without television or media coverage. Greg and Bryant Gumbel, her sons, became famous broadcasters who reached millions of Americans. Rhea was a quieter homemaker, mother, and municipal clerk.

Rhea was born in New Orleans in 1920 and raised in Chicago. Her generation valued family, community, and endurance over public fame. Her life spans over nine decades, from early 20th-century New Orleans to national broadcast sports and journalism.

Basic Information About Rhea Alice Gumbel

Rhea was born on August 15, 1920, in New Orleans to Adrien or Adrian Bartholomew LeCesne and Adele G. LeCesne. Her parents belonged to a large New Orleans family, and Rhea grew up alongside numerous brothers and sisters.

The LeCesne family had deep roots in New Orleans and was associated with Creole ancestry. Like many longstanding New Orleans families, the family’s background reflected a complicated mixture of African, French, European, and other regional influences.

Rhea Alice LeCesne and Her New Orleans Family

Rhea’s childhood appears to have been shaped by a large extended family. She was one of many children born to Adrien and Adele LeCesne, and records indicate that she was predeceased by 11 siblings.

Among the relatives associated with her family were Selma Barbour, Judge Archibald Thomas LeCesne, Clifton LeCesne, Armond Adrian LeCesne, and Alma Epps. Other siblings included Anthony, Pauline Brown, Arnold Paul, Warren J., and Theodore or Wallace LeCesne.

The sheer size of the family is important when considering Rhea’s later role as a mother. She came from a household where family relationships were numerous and extended family connections could remain important for generations.

Her mother Adele was born in New Orleans in the 1880s, while her father Adrien was also associated with New Orleans and appears to have been born around 1882. Their marriage took place in 1904.

Marriage to Richard Dunbar Gumbel Jr.

Rhea married Richard Dunbar Gumbel Jr. on January 9, 1945, in Orleans Parish, Louisiana.

Richard was born on February 19, 1920, in New Orleans. He later became a Cook County legal official, working as a probate judge and magistrate in Chicago. His career placed the family in a different social and professional environment from the one Rhea had known in New Orleans.

The marriage produced four children.

Richard died suddenly on April 10, 1972, at the age of 52. He suffered a heart attack outside his court chambers. His death left Rhea to continue managing family life while her children were entering adulthood and beginning to establish their own careers.

The Family Moves From New Orleans to Chicago

The Gumbel family’s story eventually shifted northward.

Rhea and Richard moved from New Orleans to Chicago’s South Side, with the family becoming associated particularly with the Hyde Park area. Chicago became the setting in which their children grew up and developed the interests that would later shape their careers.

The family maintained a Catholic household. Greg and Bryant attended De La Salle Institute and served as altar boys. Their childhood also included a fascination with broadcasting and sports.

The boys reportedly practiced announcing imaginary games, turning ordinary childhood play into an early rehearsal for careers that would eventually place them behind real microphones.

In retrospect, those childhood performances look almost like a small rehearsal stage for the future.

Greg Gumbel and Rhea’s Eldest Son

Gregory Girard Gumbel, known professionally as Greg Gumbel, was born on May 3, 1946, in New Orleans.

He became one of America’s most respected sports broadcasters. His career included work with CBS Sports and major coverage of professional football and college basketball. He became especially associated with the NCAA basketball tournament and NFL broadcasting.

One of Greg’s historic achievements came in 2001, when he became the first Black announcer to handle play by play for a major American sports championship at the Super Bowl, calling Super Bowl XXXV.

Greg was married to Marcy Kaszynski, with the surname also appearing as Kaczynski in some records. Their family included Michelle, who became Greg’s daughter through adoption.

Greg remained connected to his mother throughout her later years. A family memory from 2003 describes him traveling to Chicago for a Mother’s Day dinner with Rhea and Michelle.

Greg died on December 27, 2024, after cancer.

Bryant Gumbel and His Television Career

September 29, 1948, in New Orleans, Bryant Charles Gumbel was born.

He had a varied but notable radio career. Bryant became one of the most famous US television personalities as a journalist and sportscaster.

After co-hosting NBC’s Today, he became known for HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The 1995–2023 program established him as a serious interviewer and investigative sports journalist, not just a sportscaster.

In 1973, Bryant married June Baranco. The Gumbels had two children, Jillian Beth and Bradley Christopher, after their 2001 divorce. He married Hillary Quinlan in 2002.

Rhea’s relationship with Bryant was probably difficult and loving. A rare portrait of Rhea in her final years showed her as proud and independent, but Bryant saw her as being overshadowed by her late husband.

Rhea’s story is more humanized by that. Behind the famed family name was a mother with feelings, expectations, disappointments, and dignity.

Rhonda Gumbel Thomas

Rhea’s third child was Rhonda Gumbel Thomas, who married Joseph Gumbel Thomas.

Unlike her brothers, Rhonda maintained a much lower public profile. Her professional life was connected to speech language pathology, and she worked in areas including clinical management, recruitment, and educational staffing.

Her education included Mundelein College, where she studied speech and hearing science or communication disorders, followed by Bradley University, where she earned a master’s degree in communication disorders.

Rhonda’s career represents another part of the family’s professional legacy. While Greg and Bryant became familiar television personalities, Rhonda pursued a specialized career focused on communication and education.

Renee Gumbel Farrahi

Renee Gumbel Farrahi, also identified as Renee Gumbel, was the youngest of Rhea and Richard’s four children.

She was born around August 1964 in Chicago and lived a largely private life. Unlike her brothers, she did not build a public career in broadcasting, and comparatively little reliable biographical information about her is available.

Some later family references have reported that Renee died in 2019, while other profiles have treated her as living privately. Because of this inconsistency, details about her later life remain uncertain.

Her limited public footprint is itself significant. The Gumbel family story demonstrates how dramatically the public record can differ between siblings, even within the same household.

Rhea Gumbel’s Eight Grandchildren

Rhea’s 2008 obituary identified eight grandchildren.

They included:

Rhea was also remembered as a great-grandmother, with a great-granddaughter named Mikaela identified in family records.

Her family therefore extended well beyond the four children who formed the immediate Gumbel household. By the time of her death in 2008, she had become the center of a much larger family network.

Rhea’s Work as a Clerk

Although motherhood was central to Rhea’s life, she was not simply a homemaker.

She also worked as a city or municipal clerk and was associated with the Department of Human Services. Her professional life appears to have continued into her later years.

One particularly revealing account places her in a seventh-floor Chicago apartment in 1988. At the time, she was 68 and still taking the bus to work five mornings a week.

She had sold her car because maintaining it had become too troublesome. Her apartment’s bedroom air conditioner struggled to cool the entire home during a 98 degree Chicago day.

These details offer a rare glimpse into Rhea’s everyday existence. While her sons were becoming increasingly famous, she was still commuting by bus and working a regular job.

Rhea’s Modest Financial Life

Rhea did not appear to accumulate major personal wealth or establish a notable business empire.

Her husband had enjoyed a professional career in Chicago’s legal system, while her own working life centered on clerical employment and family responsibilities. Later accounts suggest that she lived relatively modestly.

Her relationship with money also reflected her independence. Despite having famous sons, she did not appear comfortable relying on them financially. She was proud of being self-sufficient and reportedly found the possibility of asking Bryant for money emotionally difficult.

There are no well documented figures for Rhea’s personal net worth, major investments, substantial assets, or business holdings.

Rhea’s Final Years in Chicago

Rhea maintained ties to Chicago and the Hyde Park Catholic community around St. Thomas the Apostle Church.

She died quietly at 87 on May 6, 2008.

St. Thomas the Apostle Church hosted visitation and funeral services on May 12 and 13, 2008. She was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Her dying years were far from her boys’ national prominence. The radio empire she created with Richard Gumbel was remarkable.

Rhea Alice Gumbel Family Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions About Rhea Alice Gumbel

Who was Rhea Alice Gumbel?

Rhea Alice Gumbel was an American homemaker and city or municipal clerk best known as the mother of television broadcasters Greg Gumbel and Bryant Gumbel.

When was Rhea Alice Gumbel born?

Rhea was born on August 15, 1920, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

What was Rhea Gumbel’s maiden name?

Her maiden name was LeCesne. She was born Rhea Alice LeCesne.

Who was Rhea Gumbel’s husband?

Her husband was Richard Dunbar Gumbel Jr., a Chicago legal official who worked as a probate judge and magistrate.

How many children did Rhea Gumbel have?

Rhea and Richard had four children: Greg Gumbel, Bryant Gumbel, Rhonda Gumbel Thomas, and Renee Gumbel Farrahi.

Who was Rhea Gumbel’s most famous child?

Both Greg Gumbel and Bryant Gumbel became highly prominent broadcasters. Greg was particularly famous for sports broadcasting, while Bryant built a major career in television journalism and sports.

When did Rhea Gumbel die?

Rhea died on May 6, 2008, in Chicago at the age of 87.

Where was Rhea Gumbel buried?

She was associated with Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, in the Chicago area.

What did Rhea Gumbel do for a living?

Rhea was primarily a homemaker but also worked as a city or municipal clerk and had an association with the Department of Human Services.

How many grandchildren did Rhea Gumbel have?

Her 2008 obituary identified eight grandchildren, including Michelle, Jillian, Bradley, Christina, Jason, Bill, Nicole, and Danielle or Daniell.

Was Rhea Gumbel a public figure?

No. Rhea was primarily a private individual whose public recognition came through her family, especially her sons Greg and Bryant.

What was Rhea Gumbel’s connection to New Orleans?

She was born and raised in New Orleans and came from the LeCesne family, a large family with longstanding New Orleans roots and Creole heritage.