Sandra Lou Lackey

A woman of a strong Christian faith, Sandra Lou Lackey came across as quiet but she was considerate, thoughtful and very loving. She was an active member at Tri-Lakes Baptist Church, north of Columbia City, Indiana, where she helped with the AWANA Club and she served as a Sparks director. She loved children and helped impact so many of the children's lives at her church.

With WWII ending a few years prior, 1948 still saw a high demand of consumer goods and housing in the United States. The first pre-fabricated post war housing started to appear to solve the housing shortages to enable the baby boom after the war years by providing young couples with a home to start their family. NASCAR held their first race for modified stock cars in Daytona Beach, Florida and the game, Scrabble was introduced. The year also welcomed the daughter of Dewey and Edith (Harmon) Hackworth. Sandra Lou Hackworth was born on April 3, 1948 in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.

At an early age, her family moved to Warsaw, Indiana. Tragedy struck Sandy and her family when her dad was killed in a wreck in Ohio while working driving a furniture truck. Even though she moved away from Kentucky, Sandy always looked forward to going back to visit her extended family and enjoyed playing on her grandparent's farm, who were tobacco farmers, with her cousins. By the time she was in high school, her family moved to Peru, Indiana where she graduated from North Miami High School with the Class of 1966. She furthered her education at Fort Wayne Beauty College to become a hair dresser.

While out with friends cruising around Warsaw, a young gentleman approached her and asked her if she wanted a ride. Sandy had to inform him that she did not get into cars with people she did not know. This led to more conversations and as fate would have it, she would marry James Lackey on September 14, 1968 in Columbia City. The young couple would start a new life together and the following year were excited to welcome the birth of their first born, Candy Sue, but tragedy struck again in her life as Candy passed away a few days after birth. Over the next few years though, Sandy and Jim welcomed two boys, Steve and Jim into their hearts and home.

After becoming a mother, Sandy's priorities were her family and she took on the responsibilities of being a stay at home wife and mother. With a love to help others and also be around babies, she volunteered at Whitely Community Hospital in the O.B. wing.

She loved being with her family. She cherished the times spent with her husband and even helped him build their pole barn. Over the years the family made many memorable trips traveling, camping and fishing. For over 20 years, she and Jim had a place on Patoka Lake in French Lick, Indiana. For the past 10 years, they spent a good part of the year in Sebring, Florida where she also was a member of Leisure Lakes Baptist Church in Lake Placid.

After spending four weeks at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Sandra Lou Lackey, 70, passed away Tuesday morning, October 30, 2018 and joined her infant daughter, Candy Sue Lackey; father, Dewey Hackworth; and mother, Edith Frey in Heaven.

She is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Jim Lackey, of Columbia City; sons, Steve Lackey, of St. Petersburg, Florida and Jim Lackey, of Columbia City; granddaughter, Brooklyn Lackey-Byler; step-father, Frank (Laura) Frey, of Columbia City; twin sisters, Billie (Tim) Mishler and Barb Engle, both of Columbia City; and brother, David (Deb) Hackworth, of Columbia City.

Visitation is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday, November 2, 2018 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with Pastor Brad Fredrickson of Tri-Lakes Baptist Church officiating. A private family burial will follow at Palestine Cemetery where Sandy will be laid to rest beside her daughter. Memorial gifts may be given in her memory to Tri-Lakes Baptist Church. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send Sandy's family condolences online.