February 27, 1934 – February 1, 2026. My mom loved her life, loved it so much she never wanted to leave; she wanted to stay to see it all. At the end, she told us she’d fought a lot of health battles to live as long as she did, and being forced to accept she wouldn’t win this final one was ‘the pitts’. She said this with a chuckle of course. In the end, she never truly gave up the fight. She felt she had so much more to do and enjoy. What she loved about life was her family, her friends; she loved all people regardless of circumstance and made friends easily wherever she went. She earned the title ‘Queen of the floor’ in the rehab program at Wiarton Hospital as she welcomed and encouraged other patients to join in, play cards, and find the bright side. Her resilience, strength and perseverance was astounding while in hospital for 3.5 months as she refused to see her broken hip or broken back as a problem. She was absolutely determined to get on with living and may have inspired a few younger patients with her grit and determination. Having travelled the world and lived in many places she was always fascinating to talk to and was always interested in your life and adventures. She found life exciting and was often galivanting to places discovering new shops, new restaurants and new ideas. Her life was creatively inspired. She was a fashion icon all her life. Always on point, she dressed beautifully every day because she believed that when you look nice, you feel better. She took her love for interior design to every home she ever lived and each one had warmth and sparkle. And if you were in her home then you knew very well her true superpower and gift was in the kitchen. She could make a beautiful meal out of thin air, she could make anything ordinary, extraordinary. Even a simple ham sandwich was somehow better when she made it. She was an exquisite gourmet cook and made desserts and pies to swoon over. She made everything special and what none of us can figure out is how she did it all so effortlessly. She was grace, she was love, she had a heart so good she was incapable of meanness. Driven to love, to kindness and adventure, to travel, to golf, to cook and to garden she lived a happy life. Her heart was always full as she was the matriarch of our family, always ready with a helping hand, kind word, or reassuring hug. She loved us all and she made sure we knew it as she continued to send texts from her hospital bed wanting to stay in touch and be in the loop and know how everyone was doing. It’s impossible to imagine life without her. She was a lady, a mum, a nana, an auntie, a sister, a wife, a daughter and a friend. A person who could hold her own in any situation and be counted on in times of need. Her spirit lives forever bright in our hearts and we will do our best to heed her advice to not be sad but to climb every mountain and find a way to be in love with our lives as she was with hers. Volare mum 🙂 Ethel Violet Lacey (nee Thomas) known to all as Vickie, of Barrow Bay, and formerly of Mimico, London, Brussels, St. Paul, passed peacefully on Sunday February 1st at the Owen Sound Hospital in her 92nd year. Dear wife of the late Gordon Lewis Lacey and mum to Lynn Lacey Gore and her husband Rick Gore and Leigh Ann Lacey and her husband Bob Tinkle. Devoted Nana to Mackenzie, John, Lacey, Raeanna, and Billie Gore and Ben, Kindra and Avery Arneson. Blessed to have met her newly born great grandson Quinn Thomas Sobottka. She also leaves behind her beloved brother Butch and his wife Margot, many nieces and nephews and her dear Barrow Bay and Lion’s Head family. She was predeceased by her parents Elizabeth (nee Heath) and Gordon Thomas and her sister Norma Magner. Private family arrangements entrusted to the GEORGE FUNERAL HOME, Wiarton. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Expressions of remembrance to the Bruce Peninsula Hospitals Foundation would be appreciated. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family through www.georgefuneralhome.com
