Catherine Lacy

Catherine Lacy (Brown)

On November 28, 1938 Catherine Lacy (Brown) was born to Press Sr. & Minnie Lee Brown (both deceased) in Homer Louisiana. She remained in Homer until her early teen years when her family moved to Houston Texas. While growing up in Houston she attended Sweet Home Baptist Church.

When she moved to Dayton Ohio in the 1960's she was employed as a nurse's aide at St. Elizabeth Hospital. It was during that time she met Woodson Lee Sanderson I. From this union she had four children; Dolcena, Bettie, Elaine and Woodson II. Despite her growing hearing loss Catherine remained an active member in her children's education when she participated on the Dayton Public School Board. With her desire to make her community a safe and beautiful place, Catherine also participated in the Northwest Priority Board.
Over 30 years ago she met Sylvester O'Neal Lacy. While sharing her life with Sylvester she helped to raise five of her six grandchildren. Over the years Catherine's hearing became worse and she eventually lost all her hearing. She was able to receive a Cochlear Implant which restored her hearing. One of the first things she heard was the sound of the birds chirping outside. She also discovered that those quiet grandchildren she was helping to raise were not so quiet.

Throughout Catherine's life she made Jesus the foundation in which she raised her children. She provided the building blocks for her children and grandchildren to assemble a personal relationship with the Lord.

Catherine was preceded in death by three brothers, Conlee Brown, Press Brown, and Nathaniel Brown, and two sisters, Lora B. Brown and Daisy L. Taylor.
On July 5, 2013 Catherine went home to be with her heavenly father. She leaves to cherish her memory a loving husband, Sylvester Lacy (Dayton, OH), three daughters, Dolcena Sanderson, Bettie (Mark) McCurtis (Dayton, OH), Elaine (Branden) Payton, (Huber Heights, OH), two sons, Woodson (Staci) Sanderson II, (Akron,OH), William O'Neal Lacy (Tuscaloosa, AL). She is also survived by one sister Willie Mae Flucas (Dayton, OH) and one brother Prentis (Leticia) Brown (Houston, TX), six grandchildren, Christopher D. Sanderson, Christopher A. Payton, Mark I. McCurtis, Conor G. Sanderson, Sierra N. McCurtis, Branden L. Payton II, Keyshon Lacy (Birmingham, AL), and a host of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins and friends.

Regardless of what was going on Catherine loved to laugh and enjoy life. She will be dearly missed by those she left behind.