Noley R. Bise Jr.

Noley R. Bice Jr., MLL ’61, passed away Oct. 4, 2022, at Providence Village. 

Born May 26, 1937, Noley grew up in Tyler, TX. The only child of Noley R. and Marie (Parker) Bice, Noley attended the University of Texas and graduated from Baylor Law School in 1961. He served for many years as a named partner and shareholder in the Waco law firm of Fulbright, Winniford, Bice & Marable, where he specialized in civil trial law throughout the Central Texas area and had extensive experience in mediation and arbitration. He served as president of the Waco-McLennan Young Lawyers Association from 1966-67 and as president of the Waco-McLennan Bar association from 1976-77. He also was a director of the Texas Young Lawyers Association and chairman of the District 8-B Grievance Committee for the State Bar of Texas. He was a member of the American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association and the Texas Association of Mediators. He was a subscriber of the American Trial Lawyers Association, a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and Master of the Bench for the Judge Abner V. McCall American Inn of Court. He served as a faculty member and panelist for the American Bar Association Advanced Mediation Symposium and the McLennan County Dispute Resolution Center. Noley joined Baylor in 1998 as General Counsel and served in that role until mid-2005. In 2006, he was named Baylor Lawyer of the Year by the Baylor Law Alumni Association. He remained “of counsel” until he retired at the age of 80. During that time, he continued to assist with the Law School’s trial advocacy program. Although the law was a big part of his life, there was so much more to Noley. He loved trying to catch that elusive ten-pound bass and chasing trout with a fly rod in the Rocky Mountains, Alaska or fishing a pond with his grandson, Blake. He had a life-long obsession with classic guitars, especially Stratocasters, and owned more of them than he would care to admit. His ability to sing and entertain led to the formation of his band, the Unnaturals, and provided the opportunity for Noley’s unforgettable impersonations of Elvis, white suit, wig and all.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Carol Feagin Bice, his daughters and son-in-law, Susan Elizabeth Bice and Missy Bice Balusek and Randy Balusek; grandson, Blake Bice Balusek; and sister-in-law, Susan Feagin, and her husband Rip Wilson.

The family wants to express their love and gratitude to Renita Crayton Trueheart for her amazing caregiving, and their appreciation to Gentle Transitions Hospice and Providence Place Hospice.