Curtis Wendell Lackey

1930 - 2020

Curtis Wendell Lackey ARLINGTON--Curtis Wendell Lackey, 89, passed away peacefully in his sleep, Thursday morning, Feb. 6, 2020, at his home in Arlington, Texas. FUNERAL: 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington. Interment: 1:30 p.m. in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the funeral home. Wendell was born Dec. 18, 1930, in Plainview, Texas. He graduated from Stephenville High School in 1948. While there, he earned Varsity letters and All-District honors in four sports, as well as All-State honors in baseball. He played professional baseball for the Lubbock Hubbers and was enshrined into Stephenville High School's Athletic Hall of Fame. Following high school, Wendell played football and baseball at Tarleton College for two years and was a member of the Air Force ROTC program. He graduated from Southwest Texas State University where he also played football and baseball on an athletic scholarship. After college, Wendell coached one year at Weatherford High School before fulfilling his ROTC obligation by joining the U.S. Air Force. After being stationed in Thule, Greenland, as an air intercept officer, Wendell went back to his first love, coaching. He left the Air Force and began coaching in Crockett, Texas. While there, he met and married the love of his life, Miss Lela Anne Barnes. They would spend the next 63 years together as each other's soulmates and constant companions, while raising a fine family. Wendell also had coaching stops in Ballinger, Belton, Taylor, Kilgore and Arlington. After 18 years of coaching, he became an administrator at Arlington High School, a post he held for 20 years until his retirement in 1990. SURVIVORS: He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Lela Anne Barnes Lackey; daughter, Dana Lynne (Smith) Lackey of Arlington; daughter, Carla Kay (Davies) Lackey of Arlington; son, Ron Keith Lackey of Teague; and son, Russ Curtis Lackey of Arlington. He was blessed with four grandchildren, Hannah Christine Davies of Austin, Eric Curtis Samuel Smith of Arlington, Brandan Thomas Davies of Arlington, and Grayson Robert Curtis Lackey of Arlington.