James Lacy Obituary, Death – I grieve Rotary Club of Cookeville member and Rotary International President James Lacy’s death. 92-year-old James Lacy died Oct. 4. His Rotary International presidency was 1998-1999. He and Claudine attended Rotary clubs and meetings on six continents. He seeks to improve worldwide children’s lives. After 30 years heading Rotary’s Polio Plus effort to eradicate polio in underdeveloped nations, he was best known. Mr. Lacy spearheaded the project, inoculated children globally, and raised hundreds of millions. He launched them in Washington in the mid-1980s and worked for almost 30 years.
In 2018, Rotary named Lacy a Polio Plus Pioneer “for his founding role initiating and promoting Rotary’s global program of eradicating polio from the face of the earth.” Only about 60 Rotary International members hold this honor. He served two terms in the Tennessee House, 1971-1975. Comment link to Mr. Lacy’s obituary. His wife Claudine, son Bill, and daughter-in-law Sue of Olathe, KS, brother Alvin and Barbara of Sparta, TN, and sister-in-law He is survived by Hickory, NC Rowena Lacy.
His parents and brother David predeceased him. The Lacy family will receive guests from 5–7 p.m. CT on Wednesday, October 11, at Hooper Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home’s Cookeville Chapel. The Cookeville City Cemetery will host private graveside services. Memorial donations can be made to Cookeville Rotary Club, P.O. Box 1005, 38503, or First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 565 E 10th St, 38501. Funeral home Hooper Huddleston and Horner arranges.
