Marlene B. Lacey, age 94, passed away on Sunday, August 23, 2026. She was a resident of Colorado Springs, CO, for 14 years and was formerly a resident of Pueblo, CO; Albuquerque, NM (where she raised her family); Nampa, ID; and Preston, ID.
She was a great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, wife, sibling, and friend. Marlene contributed greatly to her community of Paradise Hills in Albuquerque, NM, where she was part of the fire department woman’s auxiliary, helped publish and deliver a local community newsletter (Tumbleweed Times), organized community Poco Loco events, and more. For 33 years she volunteered, taught, was director, and retired from the Paradise Hills Community Preschool. In Colorado Springs she served over five years as a docent for the Dr. Lester L. Williams Fire Museum at the Colorado Springs Fire Department. She enjoyed meeting new people while sharing fire department stories of her late husband, two sons, and a grandson serving the fire service. She loved spending time and talking with her grandchildren while watching them and their families grow.
Marlene was born on February 4, 1932, to Earnest and Ida Breitenbuecher (Mendenhall) from Preston, Idaho where she grew up and attended Preston High School (nationally renowned in the 2004 hit movie Napoleon Dynamite) graduating in 1950. On July 3, 1955, while living in Nampa working for the Idaho Free Press, she married Milt Lacey, moving to Albuquerque to start their family.
Marlene was fond of golf, writing calligraphy, tole painting, and was very involved in the Beta Sigma Phi sorority both in Albuquerque and Pueblo. She served various positions in sorority including multiple years as president of both chapters. She also enjoyed camping and traveling the country in their various recreational vehicles. Although afraid of water, she spent many years playing water volleyball – being included in and edition of Southwest magazine. For many years, she was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and was active in the Relief Society.
Marlene was preceded in death by her husband, Milt, of 52 years; and her sister, Leona Chatterton (Gene), of Preston, ID. She is survived by her loving children: Brett Lacey (Janell) of Colorado Springs, CO; and Scott Lacey (Rita) of Waxahachie, TX. She is also survived by her sister, Ann Rawlings (Delbert), of Preston, ID; and grandchildren: Michael Lacey (Linda Kay), Ryan Clothier, Michael Clothier (Abbey), Logan Lacey, Keagan Lacey (Sierra), Natasha Miller (Truett), Austin Lacey (Amanda); twelve great grandchildren, an extended family, and close friends.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026, at the Shrine of Remembrance, in the America the Beautiful Chapel at 1730 East Fountain Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO.
Inurnment will be in a Columbarium at the same location.
A reception will be held following the memorial service at Lumin8 Rooftop Social, 402 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, CO.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Friends of Dr. Lester L. Williams Fire Museum P.O. Box 118 Colorado Springs, CO 80901, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by calling: 800-822-6344.
The family wishes to thank all the members of the Colorado Springs Fire Department that honored mom as their Headquarters grandmother and gave her the best mission she could have served in her later years. We also want to thank all of the medical care staff at Brookdale Skyline. They took exceptional care of our mom and treated her as family, with great respect and dignity.