Debra Reed Terranova

A  memorial  service for Debra Reed Terranova will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 28, 2016 at Johnson Funeral Home.  The Very Reverend Jack Myers will officiate.  Visitation will be on Monday  from 2 until 8 p.m.   Her remains will be placed next to her father, Arthur R. Reed, her sister, Mary, and brother, Marcus at the Reed Family Cemetery in Guy, Louisiana in a private family service at a later date.

Debra died on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  She was born on June 22, 1952 to Arthur Ray and Gwen Voth Reed in Oakdale.  She moved to Lake Charles when she was three months old.

Debra returned to Lake Charles in 2001 to marry her husband (her former high school classmate) and lived here until her passing.  She graduated from Lake Charles High School in 1970 where she served on the tennis team and as a Kiltie, where she played the snare drum and served as a flag bearer.  Debra attended Louisiana Tech where she was a member of Sigma Kappa.  She lived in Ruston for many years.  She also lived in Tyler, Texas where she began her banking career.  Through various bank mergers Debra’s banking career brought her to Dallas in 1997 where she was a Senior Vice President with Bank of America.  In 1999 she was named Employee of the Year for Bank of America and received her national award in Washington, D.C.   Upon moving to Lake Charles she became the Executive Director of the Lake Charles Symphony until her retirement in 2011.  Debra was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, where she served on the Altar Guild and was a faithful member of the ladies’ Bible study group. 

Debra loved Mardi Gras and was a member of the Krewe of Mystique and served the Krewe of Contraband where she assisted the Mystery Dukes and the King.  She and her granddaughter loved to visit nursing homes with her Krewe on Mardi Gras Day, spreading revelry to those who were residents of nursing homes.  Little did she know that soon she would be visited by The Krewe of Mystique where they would bring to  her the revelry of Mardi Gras.  She enjoyed tennis and walking, especially walking on Shell Beach Drive with her friend Gail Farrar O’Meara.     Debra loved the beach and Navarre Beach in particular.  She played the role of the Beach Fairy to her niece, nephews, granddaughter, and many others with whom she shared the beach.  Debra’s mission as the Beach Fairy was to make the beach even more fun than normal by hiding little fun beach gifts for her guests, especially flamingos and various colorful beach wares and beach toys. 

Debra was predeceased by her father, Arthur, her sister Mary, her brother Marcus, and her stepfather J. C. Creel.  She is survived by her husband Michael P. Terranova, step children Joel and Gena Terranova, her granddaughter Sydney Terranova, her mother Gwen Voth Reed Creel and her brother David (Sue) Reed, her stepbrother Rod (Judy) Creel, her niece Helen Reed (Kyle) Zaunbrecher,  her three nephews Barry Reed, David Ravelle Reed, and Jason (Pam) Creel, her two sisters-in-law Jo Evelyn Terranova (Jim) Adams and Emma Terranova (Bill) Albers, and her devoted cousin who was more like her sister, Cheryl Reed (Conrad) Fuselier.

Honorary pallbearers will be Cheryl Reed Fuselier, Jo Evelyn Terranova Adams, Gigi Kuehn, Karen Krajieck, Kay Barnett, Tasca White Jicks, Linda Hoffpauir, Gail Farrar O’Meara, Jane Jessen Lumpkin and Joel Fuselier.

Debra’s family would like to express a special word of thanks to PDI of the South, Melissa McHenry, Resthaven Nursing and Care Center, Brighten Bridge Hospice, and Christus St. Patrick Hospital and their entire staff including Dr. Erich Wolf for the excellent care and compassion given to her during her illness.  Debra loved music and she enjoyed the many concerts at Resthaven by Daniel Ieyoub and the Liberty Bells.  We express our appreciation for all of the prayers from family and friends and the many visitors who came to visit her while she was ill. 

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to any of the following:  The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd - “Altar Guild Program”,  or “Tend My Lambs” of the Lake Charles Symphony, Christus - St. Patrick Foundation, or McNeese Foundation - “Ebbie Whitten, English Scholarship Fund”.