Phillip "Ray" Lackey

Phillip "Ray" Lackey

Phillip "Ray" Lackey, 81, of Brightwood in Madison County, formerly of Charlottesville, died at Dogwood Nursing Home in Orange, Virginia, on Friday, December 3, 2010.

He was born in Electric Mills, Mississippi, grew up in Sylacauga, Alabama, and was a graduate of the University of Alabama. After college he entered the United States Air Force and completed a course in psychological warfare training at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service in 1951. He served in the Philippines during the Korean conflict.

Lackey moved to Washington, D.C., in the mid-50's. He was a vice president of the Henry J. Kaufman and Associates Advertising Agency where he worked for 25 years. In 1978 he joined the International Masonry Institute as its executive director until he retired in 1995.

The Lackeys bought their mountain farm in Syria in 1986 and put their roots down in Madison County. In 2000 they moved to Irvington, Virginia, and then to Charlottesville, before returning to Madison, in 2008.

Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Doris Gibson Lackey of the home; a daughter and son from his first marriage, Lauren Lackey Bugel of McLean, Virginia, and Phillip McAndrew of Nashville, Tennessee; three step-children, Larry Hardesty of Boston, Masschusetts, Beth Hardesty Armentano of Vallejo, California, and Jessica Hardesty Norris of Manassas, Virginia; a sister, Virginia Calkins of Albany, New York; three grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, December 9, 2010, at Preddy's Funeral Home in Madison.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, December 10, 2010, at Piedmont Episcopal Church in Madison.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Madison County Volunteer Fire Department or MESA.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.