Deborah Jo Nice

Deborah Jo Nice would have been pleased to know that when she died peacefully after a brief illness at Touro Infirmary at the age of 65 on February 21, 2016, she joined the Choir Immortal. Her family feels that no one would be more deserving of this than she. Pitch-perfect church choir singer, gifted pianist, exceptional baker of her renowned lemon poppy seed cakes, enthusiastic volunteer, generous friend, and loving spirit, Debbie will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Debbie was born on August 25, 1950 to Charles Monroe Nice, Jr., M.D. and Mary Ellen Cranmer Nice, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Preceded in death by her father and her brother, Charles M. Nice III, Debbie is survived by her loving siblings Norma Jane (Nodie) Nice Murphy (Dennis), Pamela Michele Nice, Julianne Nice (Herbert Victor Larson, Jr.), Thomas Cranmer Nice (Amy), Mary Ellen (Missy) Nice O’Donovan (Sean), and Rebecca Elizabeth Nice Parrone (Paul), as well as nieces and nephews Sarah Murphy Sennour (Larbi), Michael Seth Murphy, Benjamin Edward (Ben) Murphy (Faye), Nicole Michele Nice, Charles Monroe (Charlie) Nice IV, Andrew Cranmer (Ace) Nice, Margaret (Maggie) Elizabeth Nice, Clara Jane Nice, Matthew Walter Nice, Erin O’Donovan Steigleder (Eric), Kathryn Jeanette (Katie) O’Donovan, Maxwell Charles (Max) Parrone, Alexandra Sophia (Alex) Parrone, Mouloud Randal Sennour, Dehbia Catherine Sennour, Dennis Ryan Sennour, and James Arthur Murphy. At the age of three, Debbie started playing the piano with lessons from her father. She studied with several talented classical piano teachers, including her most recent teacher, Raymond Gitz, who encouraged her to broaden and deepen her repertoire of classics as well as her musicianship and emotion in playing. Debbie always enjoyed performing for others, especially as a volunteer at Ochsner Health Systems, where she was a regular pianist in the atrium on the main campus. Performing annually at Trinity Episcopal Church’s Bach Around the Clock event was one of her favorite things to do. But if you asked her to sit down and play at any piano, anywhere, she would invariably start with Chopin. Debbie’s other volunteer efforts, as well as a professional career of many years, was based in several local hospitals, including Children’s Hospital, Touro Infirmary, and Tulane University Hospital. Thanks to the volunteer service staff at Children’s Hospital, as well as Pathology Department staff member Barbara Robinson, for their special attention to Debbie, and also to Dr. Chris Arcement who gave her many a ride home after a volunteer session there, and was a great and compassionate friend. Armed with her Aunt Janie’s recipe for lemon poppy seed cake, Debbie created a “cake ministry” that delivered literally thousands of cakes to hundreds of people at a moment of celebration, commemoration, or grieving. Times-Picayune columnist Sheila Stroup wrote a column about Debbie’s cake ministry, and most agreed that it was the most delicious cake they ever ate. Debbie said that love was the main ingredient. A memorial service is planned at RAYNE MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 3900 St. Charles Avenue on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., with visitation at 1:00 p.m. beforehand in the church’s Fellowship Hall (Pitt Street entrance). In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that friends make a contribution to Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church, Children’s Hospital, Ochsner Health Systems, Touro Infirmary, the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans, or the charity of their choice, in Debbie’s memory. Or bake a cake and give it to a friend who has a special occasion to celebrate or a need for a token of your love, in her name.