Rita Lacey Obituary

Rita Maureen Lacey was born on March 1st, 1944 in Portsmouth, England. She loved her childhood in England with her parents, Olive and Albert Tarr, brother Terry, and aunts Wendy and Betty. In 1956 Rita's family moved to Chicago, Illinois. She was married to Alec Johnstone in 1964 and they had a daughter, Jennifer, in 1971. Rita and Alec divorced in 1983, and Rita was remarried to Gary Lacey in 1986. She worked with her best friend, Teresa, at Baxter Group for 9 years. Rita and Gary retired to North Carolina in 1995 and eventually settled in Etowah. They loved creating beautiful homes and traveling, and had many happy years of retirement. Gary and their beloved dog, Woody, passed away in 2020. On July 10, 2025 Rita died peacefully at home with her daughter and their cats.
Rita would want to be remembered for her love of Mother Nature, which she imparted to her daughter. Rita planted countless flowers that fed many bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Her life's work was to take care of her family and pets. She did an incredible job as a mother and wife.
There will be a celebration of life at the Etowah's Reach clubhouse on July 23 at 11am. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rita, please visit our floral store.