Obituary: Marice Katz

Marice Katz, 94, of Atlanta, Ga., passed away at Northside Hospital on Nov. 21, 2022, after a brief illness. She was born on Aug. 6, 1928, in Durham, N.C. She was the youngest of seven brothers and sisters and was raised by her mother as her father had died at an early age.

Her mother instilled in all of her children a strong sense of Jewishness and work ethic. Marice moved to Atlanta in 1963 to pursue a corporate career and to enjoy the hot, humid summers which she loved so much. She started at the bottom of the ladder in a secretary pool with the Robinson Humphrey Company and worked her way up while passing every securities test and, eventually, became one of the first woman financial advisors in the southeast. It was a dream job for Marice, leading to a career which spanned around 50 years, working for the likes of Robinson Humphrey, Smith Barney, Citigroup and finally, Morgan Stanley.

Marice never married but her family was very important, and she cherished all of her nephews and nieces. She had a passion for life, a great attitude, and a willingness to try new things. She loved to dance and was taught by her brother, Gibby, and by age 9 had almost had a career as a professional dancer.

She enjoyed a good meal whether it was bagel and lox at Goldberg’s Deli or a good steak at the Palm Restaurant where she is now part of their famous mural wall along with many other celebrities.

Marice had an infectious personality that was characterized by her unique laugh, just think of a loud belly laugh. She always had a desire to dress sharp was thrifty as they come and enjoyed a good game of Scrabble. In her later years, when dining out she would share a cup of coffee with her sister, Evelyn. In addition to almost being a professional dancer, Marice authored and published a book called “Little Slices of Life,” a compilation of articles she had written for the Jewish Georgian which was her own personal “Chicken Soup of the Soul.”

Marice’s traditional Jewish upbringing in Durham continued on in Atlanta as she was very active and a devoted member at The Temple and often went to services at Ahavath Achim with friends. Marice loved to give back to the community and she loved to spend time volunteering at the Bremen Jewish Home. Special thanks to the staff and doctors at Berman Commons who went above and beyond the call making sure her time there was spent in a safe and loving environment. Also, a special thanks to her business partner and friend, Cory Marcus, who was the son she never had.

Marice was preceded in death by her father and mother, Morris and Lena Katz; three sisters, Helen Goldberg, Evelyn Lifset, and Dorothy Zuckerman; and three brothers, Bernard Katz, Gilbert Katz and Albert Katz.

A graveside service was held on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at Arlington Memorial Park at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309; Alzheimer’s Association, 225 North Michigan Ave. Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601; or to a charity of your choice.