Minister Lynn Carol Lacey, the founder and CEO of Lacey-Hill Community Outreach in La Grange, will be remembered at a Celebration of Life on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Progressive Life Giving Word Cathedral, 4500 Frontage Road, Hillside.
Visitation begins at 10 a.m., followed by the Homegoing Service from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Viewing is scheduled Friday, October 2, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Wallace Broadview Funeral Home, 2020 W. Roosevelt Road, Broadview.
Lacey’s calling came from a simple moment of questioning. While washing dishes one day, she watched a homeless man walk past carrying a turkey. The sight moved her to ask God what such a person would do with it. She believed God answered: “You feed my people.”
That vision became Lacey-Hill Community Outreach, a family-owned nonprofit dedicated to nourishing the homeless, low-income households, and seniors throughout the year. The organization is widely known for its annual free Thanksgiving Day dinners, which serve hundreds each year, and for coordinating free food distribution drives across the community.
Lacey shared her calling with her daughter, April Lacey-Hill, who serves as Co-Founder and Director. Together, they built an organization rooted in the belief that everyone—regardless of circumstance—deserves to feel supported, nourished, and loved.
Her work earned formal recognition. The Park District of La Grange named its renovated community center the Lacey Community Center in her honor. The official Grand Opening was held in February 2026.
Beyond the outreach, Lacey served as a Commissioner of the Park District of La Grange, a Board Member of Pillars, a member of the La Grange Ministerial community, and an Associate Minister at Second Baptist Church of La Grange. She received the Minni Carr Community Service Award and was honored as Grand Marshal of the La Grange Pet Parade.
In a statement, April Lacey-Hill remembered her mother: “My mother was a woman deeply committed to serving her community and making a difference in the lives of others. Her life was defined by faith, service, leadership, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to helping others. Her legacy will continue through the many lives she touched and the community she loved so deeply.”
