Allen Kent “AK” Lacy
1920-2015
Allen Kent “AK” Lacy left this earthly life on Wednesday, the 20th of August 2015, in Houston, at the age of 94. He was born on the 23rd of October 1920, to Lois Woodley and Alfred E. Lacy of Elysian Fields, Texas.
Allen is pre-deceased by his loving wife of 65 years, Marilyn “Cissy” Lacy and by his half-brother, Phil Lacy. He is survived by his daughters, Melinda Miller Wilson and her husband Scott, and Juli Kane and her husband Donald, both of Austin, Texas; by his brother, A.E. Lacy and his wife Norma of Gladwater, Texas; by his half-brother, Jack Lacy and his wife Sandi of Damon, Texas; and by his grandson, Denver Shelby Miller and his wife Christine, and their daughters, Anna and Maire of Rochester, New York.
Allen and his family lived in Elysian Fields, Texas until the death of his mother when was ten, after which he lived with grandparents at the Woodley Farm near Elysian Fields. He attended High School in Elysian Fields, and college at the College of Marshall (now East Texas Baptist College) and North Texas State Teachers College (now University of North Texas). Allen took time away from college to serve in the US Army Medical Corps, before returning to earn a B.A. in Economics.
He married the love of his life Marilyn “Cissy” Lacy of Dallas, Texas in 1946 and fathered two daughters, Melinda and Juli. Upon returning to the Woodley Farm with his wife to be prior to their marriage, Cissy assured him that she loved his family and respected the place of his youth, but stated firmly that she was a “City Gal,” and would happily visit often. They first settled in Dallas, and eventually moved to Houston.
Allen enjoyed a very successful career in the insurance business before retiring in 1985 to focus on restoring and managing operations at his beloved Woodley Farm in Elysian Fields along with his brother Alfred. After years of restoration work and tireless research he was able to have both the Woodley Farm house and nearby Woodley family cemetery designated Texas Historical Markers by the Texas Historical Commission.
He continued to work throughout his retirement years, successfully managing oil and gas investments and a cattle operation on the farm. Allen was also a passionate volunteer at Westminster Methodist Church, where he served as Chairman of the Board, Lay Leader, Chairman of Trustees, and Chairman of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee, in addition to over 40 years of service on numerous other committees and task forces.
Allen and his wife Cissy loved to travel, and estimated they had visited over 100 countries together. As a child he studied the world globe and told his friends that he intended to visit all of the places on the planet. His friends scoffed and claimed he would, “never get farther than Texarkana!” They were obviously wrong. He documented these travels as an exceptionally skilled photographer, eventually winning numerous photography club awards for the images he captured. Allen’s lifelong passion for photography and travel led him later in life to combine the two in a series of adventurous photo safaris led by professional photographer and good friend Brian Vikander.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 25th of August, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
A funeral service is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 26th of August, at Westminster United Methodist Church, 5801 San Felipe Street in Houston, where Senior Pastor Rev. Jeff Powers is to officiate.
Immediately following all are invited to greet the family and share remembrances of AK during a reception in the adjacent church parlor.
The interment is to be conducted at half-past ten o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 28th of August, at the Woodley Family Cemetery, 564 Larry Woodley Road in Marshall, Texas.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to Westminster United Methodist Church, 5801 San Felipe St., Houston, TX 77057; to the Woodley Family Cemetery, 564 Larry Woodley Rd., Marshall, TX, 75672; or to the charity of one’s choice.