Rochester, NY: Deborah Ann Houppert-Nobles passed away peacefully at the Leo Center for Caring on Thursday, September 14, 2017. Known also to loved ones as “Yoga Lady”, “OG” (Original Goddess) or “Baaba”, Debby was 66 years old. She is survived by her mother, Helen Ficarro of Ontario, NY, her brother (Daniel Ficarro), her husband of 25 years, Robert K. Nobles, three beloved daughters (Lona Prince-Mryglod, Danielle Houppert, Amanda Nguyen) and five treasured granddaughters (Helene Prince, Kathryn Mryglod, Emma Mryglod, Mai Nguyen, An Ly Nguyen). Deborah is predeceased by her father, Angelo Ficarro.
Debby was a Certified Yoga Instructor for nearly 35 years, teaching in a variety of venues throughout Rochester, including the Rochester Presbyterian Home, the Southwest YMCA, Gates-Chili Continuing Education, Irondequoit Continuing Education and Nazareth College. She also worked at DePaul Mental Health and enjoyed teaching water aerobics. Though her life was far too short, Debby filled days with her love of humanity, always caring for others and their happiness. Family and community gave Debby’s life meaning and purpose, and she repaid them with unconditional love and the precious ability to make everything special. She loved shopping, especially with Danielle, providing healthy foods to the elderly and needy, cooking for family and friends, and being mindful and present to appreciate the simple beauties in nature. She passionately supported local business at every chance she could, and she was known to study diverse cultures and religious/spiritual traditions from around the globe. She was an ordained minister and enjoyed officiating weddings and baptisms.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Monica’s Catholic Church, 831 Genesee St. (Rochester) on September 23, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. A private burial will follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Leo Center for Caring, 1500 Portland Ave, Rochester, NY.
Rest In Peace Dear Debbie. Shalom
Deb instructed me in yoga from 1998 until 2005, when an injury forced me to discontinue. I so looked forward to her classes, that I scheduled my time and days around them, and often brought family and friends as guests to her classes. She was, of course, always welcoming. She made yoga enjoyable, accessible and showed how to incorporate it into one’s daily routine. She was a real teacher – her advice and suggestions went beyond the practice of yoga. A compassionate, loving, big-hearted soul, who saw, or wanted to see, only the good around her. My sincere condolences to her family, and her many, many friends and students.
Time in our world is always not long enough ! Please , accept our condolences with deeply sympathies from The Nguyen Family .
What a gentle and caring soul. She will be missed.
Just learned the sad news today. My condolences to the family; especially Robert and Danielle. I will miss Deborah very much. I will try to make it to the memorial mass on Saturday.
May the Lord comfort all of you and hold you in his heart. You are all in my prayers. God bless you.
Debbie was my guru from 1999 until 2017. She was a gentle caring soul and will be missed. When I practice yoga on my own I hear her soothing voice instructing me in my mind. I greatly admired that she kept the cost of her class very reasonable because she wanted everyone to have accessibility to the healing power of yoga. She was a great role model of living in Christ. She not only talked the talk, but she walked the walk. So blessed & grateful I was able to learn from her for many years.
To the Houppert-Nobles Family,
Deb was a wonderful, kind, compassionate, caring person who came faithfully came to the Rochester Presbyterian Home for many years providing a yoga class for our elders weekly. She would always ask me about an elder if their presence was not in her class. She cared deeply about our elders. I often had many occasions for conversations over the years with Deb and we would share our family stories.
On behalf of myself and her RPH family our condolences and prayers our with you. She will surely be missed. Love Your RPH family.
Debby and I came full circle. In the beginning there was just love and the 3 of us. At the end there was just love but now we are 5–and it was good.
To Debbie’s beautiful family and so many friends,Bill and I are truly grateful for having known this beautiful,loving and compassionate soul. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to see her at St Anne’s and was able to say goodbye to her and tell her that I loved her. She will never be forgotten and live on in our hearts forever. Peace and blessings,Jude Cheng and Bill.
May she rest in peace
My condolences to the family of Debby Houppert. May God continue to comfort you all during this difficult time. Debbie is now resting in the hands of our Father in heaven. May you continue to be comforted by the same love that Debby exhibited to all those she came into contact with.
God bless you all
What can I say to a very spiritual lady that introduced me to yoga in the truly spiritual sense? She taught me that yoga is the union of mind, body, and soul, and for that I am forever grateful. To quote the movie “To Sir With Love,” she has taken me from crayons to perfume.
I know I will see you soon in my meditations.
Namaste my friend.
Michael Bowen
When Debbie had us on the floor in the dead pigeon pose, or something equally impossible, I fondly remember she always encouraged us with, “If you CHOOSE to do this position”. It made it sound like we had the choice of doing it or not. So, if we refrained from doing that pose-because of the fact that we would never be able to twist our arms, legs and torso to look like Debbie- she let us save face. Debbie was so encouraging to us less-fit elderly people. She was an example, an inspiration, and always gentle. We are glad to have shared moments of life with her….which we will always treasure.
Love yoy Debby.
Dear Debbie hope there are butterflies where you are!
Love and light 🦋
Carol Lim
so sorry to see this, sympathies to all in your loss…
Debbie was one of the most loving people I knew and in the brief time I knew her she was also the most dedicated. Her members, her classes, her family, they were all in the same. She treated everyone like they belonged and made everyone feel at home, regardless of how your day started you couldn’t help but be smiling when you left her. She will be missed <3
Rest in Peace Debbie <3
Amanda: So sorry about the loss of your mom. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Please drop me a line sometime — silkesookraj@me.com. I’ve been trying to get in touch for years (since 9/11).
I’m so sorry to hear this news Amanda. You’re mother was always so sweet to me. She opened my eyes to so much. I have been looking for you and your family for years. We were childhood friends and we lost touch. I had a dream about you and your mother and I came across this posting online. Please reach out. Nycepc@gmail.com 585-317-7045.
My condolences to you and the family.