Obituary

Julianne White Lacy was a native Huntsville, Alabamian, born February 6, 1945, into the union of a preacher and a teacher – The Reverend Edmond D. and Mrs. Elizabeth Nance White.  She was the granddaughter of Thomas and Trilby Sullivan Nance and Frank White and Mattie Harris White Tate.

Although she spent most of her life in Huntsville, she resided in both, Pusan, Korea and Bitburg, Germany due to her husband's Civil Service employment.  During her time overseas, she traveled to several European and Far Eastern countries, among which were Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, and Taiwan. She also visited Hong Kong and traveled throughout the cities in Korea and Germany.

Like many of us today, Julianne led four lives, a devoted wife, a loving mother, a career-oriented person, and a volunteer.  Her ambition was to successfully sustain a career while maintaining a loving household. She and her elementary school classmate, Walter Lacy, became reacquainted in college and united in Holy Matrimony which lasted over fifty-six years.  They were blessed with three unusually talented children, Lorraine, Marc and Julian. Julianne allowed her children to seek their own skills and guided them in cultivating their God-given talents. As a result, they succeeded in developing their own personal businesses.

Professionally, she was an Alabama A&M University (AAMU) Cooperative Education Student (CO-OP) with the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA).  During her time as a CO-OP student, Julianne was introduced to the huge mainframe computer with an emphasis on computer programming languages.  Upon graduation from A&M, with a major in Mathematics, she was hired by NASA as an Aerospace Engineer.  Later her title was changed to Mathematician.  She was a part of the NASA Team which worked with the 1969 launch of the Apollo Eleven successful project.  Realizing that she was a low statistic in the federal workforce, she became a Computer Science Instructor at AAMU to help raise that statistic with more students from Historically Black Schools/Universities prepare to become civilians.  She taught Computer Science courses in her early years at AAMU.  During the latter portion of her career, she served as Director of the Campus Computer Services Center.  After serving at the university for over thirty years, she retired as an Assistant Professor and Director of Faculty/Staff Computer Training.

While overseas she worked in a Military Education Center.  There she taught courses in Mathematics and Computer Sciences for Emory University and City Colleges of Chicago.  She also taught courses in Financial Management and tutored the male and female Airmen stationed at the Bitburg Air Base in Germany.

As a volunteer, she worked as a caseworker for the American Red Cross, served on a middle school advisory committee, and was a member of the Bitburg, Germany American School's Advisory Board.  She served as bookkeeper for an on-base gift center sponsored by the Officers' Wives Club.  In addition, she was a team mother for Lorraine's softball team.  Julianne followed the sporting teams of all three children from six-year-old little leaguers through high school volleyball, football, and basketball -- all the way through Varsity college basketball.

She was born into the Cumberland Presbyterian faith while her father was pastor and her mother was a soprano at Second Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  The church is known today as Church Street C. P. Church in America. There she gave her life to Christ at an early age.  In her teen years she served as teacher and pianist for the Sunday school; substitute church pianist; children's choir director; member of both the junior usher board and the adult choir, respectively.    In the latter years, while serving as the church's secretary, she created computer graphics and the first church logo used for several years.  She was a member of the Mothers' Board where she became president.  She was also very active on various church committees, including the Church Anniversary, History, Women's Day, Vacation Bible School, Publicity, Special Courtesies and Greeters Committees.  For some years she served as the church Historian.  She often volunteered her computer skills in support of various church projects.   In addition, she sang with the Chancel Choir until her voice failed her.  During her teen years, she also served as pianist and organist for other churches in the community.

She was a valedictory graduate of William Hooper Councill High School in Huntsville.  While in high school, Julianne presided as the president of the school's chapter of the National Honor Society and vice president of her homeroom; was a senior choir soloist; was voted "Best All Around" in her graduating class and received several scholarships for college.   She also co-wrote, directed, and produced a play enacted at Councill High School.  At the end of her first college semester, Julianne had the highest scholastic average of any freshman.   While attending AAMU, she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, Incorporated ^® as she was initiated into the Gamma Mu Chapter in 1964.  She earned a B.S. degree in Mathematics and an M.S. Degree in Computer Science Technology.  She also learned more about the personal computer through a series of Microsoft Computer Courses.

Julianne grew up in a loving and giving household.  She learned quite early in life that blessings were returned for that giving spirit.  She never stopped giving and her rewards were bountiful throughout her life.

Over the years she held membership in several educational and social organizations.  Most work was done in AKA  after she transferred to Epsilon Gamma Omega (EGO) Chapter. She was a fifty-seven year, life member who chaired and served on many, many chapter committees including the Debutante Presentation and Ball – her special favorite since she was a former AKA Debutante. She was also a founding member of EGO's Ivy Center Huntsville/Madison County Foundation, Incorporated where she served on and later chaired the publicity committee until she was elected as an Emerita member in 2015.  She also served on the staff of one of AKA's local Regional Directors and contributed writings to the AKA South Eastern Regional's history book.  She was honored by Epsilon Gamma Omega when elected as "Golden Soror of the Year" in 2015.

Julianne believed that "Divine Intervention" guided her throughout her life because her own life plans never materialized.  She enjoyed the life she led even though she did not plan any of it.  Yet, she knew that she was truly blessed and she was pleased with the journey on which she was led.

She and her husband, Walter enjoyed travelling.  They took a sightseeing trip around the United States for their thirtieth anniversary which covered at least fourteen states. Julianne planned the whole itinerary.  During her lifetime she also visited Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, and at least forty-one of the fifty United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.

She was known for preparing scrapbooks, special program booklets and computer-generated books for her church, sorority, family and friends.  Her proudest work was the book she created for her high school class's fifty-year celebration.  She received many compliments on the book from her classmates, former teachers, and other Councill High Alumni.

Two highlights of her life were participating in Huntsville's Sesquicentennial and Bicentennial celebrations when she was age ten and sixty, respectively.  She supplied a photograph of the young participants of the 1955 celebration that was hung on the wall of the Von Braun Center in 2005.

During her lifetime she labored through many medical situations and always stated that He brought her through many major medical conditions including two separate cancers eleven years apart, heart trouble and several other major illnesses, yet He enabled her to have a full, interesting life.

Julianne was a member of a small group of maternal and paternal relatives.  She is predeceased by: her parents; her grandparents; brothers - Judge Frank Howard White, Lt. Col. (retired) Ralph Lowell White; and Kenneth Rogers; aunts, Carrie Tate Lewis, Ethel Tate Rice, Julia Nance Burns; uncle, Charles Burns, Sr.; cousins, DeAlva Cummings Patterson, Vivian Cummings Moreland, and Charles W. Burns, Jr.; and niece, Lorrie Crystal White.

She leaves to cherish her memory: her loving husband, Walter Lacy; daughter, Lorraine Denise Lacy; sons, Walter Marcellus Lacy and Julian (Beulah) Lacy; grandchildren, Eric Allen Young II, Jada Nicholle Young, Lauren Elizabeth Young, Julian Andre Lacy, Jamal Alexander Lacy, and DeShanta Lashay Lacy; great grandchildren, Harper Janae Moore and Kaine Ace Williams, all of Huntsville, AL; one sister, Jean Miller of St. Petersburg, FL; one brother, Edmond White of Little Rock, AR; seven sisters-in-law, Bertha Wright, Emma Gilliam, Rosie (Rev. Herbert, Jr.) Cartwright all of Huntsville, AL, Minnie Hartsfield of Pensacola, FL, Ann (Don) Washington of Houston, TX, Gracie Lacy of Dayton, OH, and Angela Tubbs of Maumelle, AR; one brother-in-law, Jessie (Nannie) Lacy of Huntsville, AL; nieces, Kimberly White of Atlanta, GA, Alicia (John) Mitchell of St. Petersburg, FL, Angela Rogers of Lessburg, VA, Stacii O'Donald of Little Rock, AR; Doris Binford, Lelia Crutcher, Bertha (Bobby) Massey, Cheryl Brooks, Lisa Hammonds, Vickie (Gerald) Patton, Michelle (Jeff) Hammock, Priscilla Lacy, all of Huntsville, AL, Carla (Kenneth) Boyd of Nashville, TN, April Lacy-Young of Indianapolis, IN, Amber (Samantha) Allen of Little Rock, AR, Megan Tubbs of Atlanta, GA, and Linda Cattano of Pensacola, FL; nephews, Ronnie White of California, Todd Rogers of Washington, DC, Nicholas White and Kasii Thomas of Little Rock, AR, Christopher Miller of  Connecticut, Dale Lacy of Dayton, OH, Michael Lacy, Herbert (Vickie) Cartwright, Marlon Strong, all of Huntsville, AL, Donnie (Stacy) Washington and Dustin Washington, both of Houston, TX, and Jonathan Tubbs of Atlanta, GA; special cousins, Yolanda Moutrey of Chicago, IL, Carolyn Rasmussen of Washington State, and Maureen Davis Cathey of Huntsville, AL; and a host of other great nieces, great nephews, relatives and friends.

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Graveside service for Mrs. Julianne White Lacy will be Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Northside Cemetery with the Reverend Dr. Mitchell M. Walker, Sr. officiating.

Use this link to view the graveside service remotely via live stream:

https://vimeo.com/551688495/161e52e431

Julianne Lacy Virtual Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Memorial Tribute via Zoom
Friday, May 21, 2021 6:00 PM Central Time

Join the Tribute
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83788726858?pwd=V3R1cVVJY21Pejc0OHVycEYxS3QwUT09

Meeting ID: 837 8872 6858
Passcode: 261656

Dial-in: 1.312.626.6799 (Note:  to dial in, please also enter the Meeting ID and Passcode when prompted)