Jerry Raymond Lacy

Jerry Raymond Lacy, age 81, of Cooper, Texas, rode away to his eternal home on Thursday, December 3, 2020, at the Double Tough Ranch. Jerry was born January 2, 1939 in Creve Coeur, Saint Louis County, Missouri to his parents Lincoln and Ethel (Zanzie) Lacy. He attended Pattonville High School then served in the Air Force four years, 1956-1960, and was last stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nev. He was a husband, father, farmer, rancher, horse trainer, breeder and judge. Over his career he built houses in St. Louis, worked construction, farmed over 750 acres, and ran a cattle operation and a small dairy herd. His love of horses began very young while working on his grandfather's truck farm. He bought his first horse at the age of 12 from funds earned caddying on the golf course. His love and passion for horses never ceased. His heart always connected to the horses, and he lived out his dream as a horseman for over 70 years. Jerry was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) since 1964, he began training, breeding horses and showing horses in Missouri and across the nation. He was a graduate from the Colorado State University Artificial Insemination and Embryo course. Jerry was an All-Around judge for AQHA for 35 years (1979-2014); in addition, he also served as an AQHA International Judge. He was also a NCHA judge for over 30 years. He served as Director on the Board for the Missouri Quarter Horse Association as well as serving for other organizations such as: The Eastern Missouri Cutting Horse Association and Missouri Cutting Horse Association. He trained and showed horses in Halter, Cutting, Reining, Pleasure, Working Cow Horse, Team Penning and Sorting, and other performance classes. He qualified many horses for events shown at the AQHA World Championships and the NCHA Cutting Horse Futurity. His horses were significant money earners through AQHA, NCHA, National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) as well as International Buckskin Horse Association (IBHA) and at the race track. Jerry was a breeder for over 40 years with AQHA and registered over 600 foals with the association. Jerry's equine program began at J-L Ranch in Huntsville then Kingdom City, Missouri, where he hosted many horse events. Those events continued at the Double Tough Ranch in Cooper, Texas. Surviving and loving family include: his wife, Judith Lacy (nee: Dickenson); he was the cherished father of Jeanette Kotas, Julie Lacy, Benjamin (Kate) Lacy, and Brian (Jasmier) Lacy; step-father to Tina (Rollie) Bartels, Shawn (Jan) Sapp; dear grandfather of Hannah, Caroline, and Grant Cissell, Taylor Kotas, Marina and Charlie Lacy, Kylee and Immanuel Lacy, Collin and Maxwell Bartels, Emeri Ann Burgher, Taylor, Elle, and Cooper Sapp; great-grandfather of Hallie Anne, Austyn, Haiden, Kennedi, Carter, Ryann, Addison, and Saillor; loving brother of Gay (Tony) Gregory, (Shirley) Lacy and Randy Lacy. Jerry also had many other nephews, great-nephews, nieces, close family and friends. His parents, Lincoln and Ethel Lacy; his brother, James Lacy; his former wife, Leslie Foster Lacy; his niece, Heather and nephew, Jeffrey Lacy preceded him in death. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 15, at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 West, Columbia, Mo. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, 1217 Business Loop 70 West, Columbia, Mo. In lieu of flowers, Jerry's memory donations may be made to: The American Cancer Society. Services are entrusted to: Delta County Funeral Home, 451 Southwest First Street, Cooper, TX 75432, 903-395-2165 Online condolences can be made at: www.deltafuneralhome.com