Erla Mae Lacy

Erla Mae Odneal Lacy, 87, of Prairie Home, MO passed away Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at Parkside Manor in Columbia, MO.

Erla was born October 5, 1931, in Prairie Home. She was the fourth of five children to Bill and Lowell Odneal. She graduated from Prairie Home High School in 1949 and married A. J. Lacy in February of 1950. Erla and A.J. moved to Independence, MO and later to Odessa, MO where they raised 3 children: Barbara, Bill, and Mary. She moved back to Prairie Home in 1984 to be close to her parents. She lived there in “the big white house” until moving into a care facility.

There are few people more memorable than Erla Lacy. She was quite a personality and loved to laugh and have a good time. She always let you know how she felt about everything. She loved music and sang with Sweet Adelines for many years in the Kansas City area. She played piano and led the choir for several years at Odessa United Methodist Church, and later led a gospel quartet and church choir in Prairie Home. She LOVED being a grandparent, but insisted she be called “Nanny”, not Grandma. Family was very important to her. She made sure her family got together frequently and she kept strong ties with her parents, siblings and extended family. She often played music for nursing home residents. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, knitting, and other crafts, even opening a business called “Kinda Krafti” with her sister, Joann Hart.

She was preceded in death by 3 siblings; Kelly Odneal, Sr., Joanne Hart, and Norman Odneal, her parents, Bill and Lowell Odneal, and former husband A.J. Lacy. She is survived by her brother, Lewis Odneal, her children; Barbara Sanders (and Wade) of Columbia, MO, Bill Lacy of Blackwater, MO, and Mary Morris (and Michael) of Rogersville, MO, seven grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.

Services will be held at the Prairie Home United Methodist Church on Saturday, June 29th. Visitation with the family will be at the church at 10 am, followed by a memorial service at 11 am. Graveside service will follow the memorial at Harris Cemetery, south of Prairie Home.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Erla Mae Lacy, please visit our floral store.