Mary Lou Lacey

With great love and deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved matriarch, Mary Lou Lacey who went home to be with the Lord at the age of 97.

A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she spent her life in faithful service to God and others.  As the cherished wife of the late Rev. Racheo Lacey, she was not only a pastor’s wife but a steadfast partner in ministry.  Her gifted hands graced the piano in their church for many decades, filling the sanctuary with music that touched hearts and lifted spirits.

She lived her life as a quiet, powerful example of love in action.  Whether through a warm meal from her garden, or a humble $5 bill tucked into the hands of a grandchild at Christmas, she gave with unmatched generosity and a full heart.  To her, giving was not just an act-it was a way of life.

She taught us the beauty of tending both gardens and family.  Her home was full of warmth, laughter, and the aroma of homegrown food served with care at a table that always had room for one more.  She showed us how to serve, how to love, and how to live for something greater than ourselves.

She leaves behind a legacy of music, grace, and unwavering faith-a melody that will echo in the hearts of all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Rev. Racheo Lacey, parents Reuben and Mary Faulkner McGinnis, and her sister Helen Cochran.  She is survived by Mary Jane Arnau, Jimmy E. Lacey, Dianne Moore and Phillip Lacey, seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, and her sisters Nadine Seabolt, Malisse Cheek and Oneida Jackson who will carry forward the lessons and love she poured into our lives.

Her life was a song of praise, a garden of love, and a gift to all of us.

Funeral services will be at 2 PM, Saturday, July 5 at the chapel of Little-Ward Funeral Home with Rev. Guy Baker officiating.  Interment will follow in Ridgeway Baptist Church Cemetery.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home Saturday from 12 until 2 PM.

Little-Ward Funeral Home, Commerce is in charge of arrangements.