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Michael Lackey Obituary
LIMA -- Michael C. Lackey, 77, of Lima, Ohio, died on Thursday, July 3, 2025 at St. Rita's Medical Center.
He was born Oct. 8, 1947, in Dayton, Ohio, to James R. "Bob" and Gladys Marie Albin Lackey, both of whom preceded him in death.
Mr. Lackey graduated from Kettering Fairmont West High School and from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where he majored in history and minored in cribbage.
He began his newspaper career in 1969 as a $45-a-week proofreader at the Telegraph-Journal and Evening Times Globe in Saint John, New Brunswick. In August 1972 he joined The Lima News, where he worked successively as sportswriter, reporter, feature writer, city editor and columnist until retiring in June 2008. His most memorable assignment involved traveling more than 16,000 miles with Lima News photo editor Craig Orosz in 1998 to visit 18 other Limas across the United States. (They only had the police called on them twice.)
Mr. Lackey won or shared 10 statewide writing awards from The Associated Press, twice being named Ohio's outstanding columnist in his circulation category.
He was the author of "Spitballing: The Baseball Days of Long Bob Ewing," which won the Larry Ritter Book Award from the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) as the best book of 2013 on baseball's so-called "dead ball" era. "Spitballing" was also a finalist for the Casey Award, given by Spitball magazine for the best baseball book of the year.
Mr. Lackey also wrote articles and book reviews for the Allen and Auglaize County historical societies, the Dictionary of Literary Biography, Nine: A Journal of Baseball and Culture, and various SABR projects and publications.
Survivors include three sisters, Dr. G. Lynne Lackey of Chevy Chase, Maryland, Dr. Lara M. (Dr. David G. Murphy) Lackey of Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, and Lu Ann Lackey of Ellijay, Georgia; a nephew, Christopher (Rachel Rosen) Albin-Lackey of Chappaqua, New York; and two nieces, Erin A. (Dennis Tasic) Murphy of Duncan, British Columbia, and Meghan E. Murphy of Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico.
No visitation or services are planned. The body will be cremated and the remains interred in Lima Cemetery in Lima, Iowa. Arrangements are being handled by Chiles-Laman Funeral Homes, Shawnee Chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Allen County Historical Society or the Lima Public Library.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Michael Lackey
Tom Bohardt
August 15, 2025
Mike Lackey was part of our football team. He was smart and always fun to be around. What a legacy he left. May he rest in peace with his heavenly father. Tom Bohardt
James Downing
July 10, 2025
I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Lackey but I so enjoyed his columns over the years. He was more than a writer, he was truly an observer of the human condition and a craftsman at storytelling. May he rest in peace.
Paul Janczewski
July 10, 2025
Mike was a professional all the way. Whether it was journalism, or sports, he had it covered. A real stat guy. I'll miss him. Paul Janczewski
Steven K Basinger
July 9, 2025
I got to know briefly during my 3 years when I was the football coach at Bath HS from 1974-1977. Mike was always a very fair sports writer and was an inspiration to many of us coaches and players in Lima area. When Mike came around he had instant credibility because he never acted like he had any disabilities, just abilities! He was very easy to like and respect for how he lived his life.
Dan Firestone
July 8, 2025
We were fortunate enough to work with Mike in the early 1980s while beginning our careers. So many wonderful memories in the newsroom and with the Lima News softball team of which he documented every statistic. He overcame so much and never let that stop him from being the best at what he did. An outstanding writer and even better person. Years after leaving Lima it was always smiles and lots of laughs when we got together. Truly a tremendous loss for Lima. Dan Firestone and Melissa Peper Firestone
Roger Nimps
July 8, 2025
Mike was an excellent storyteller, especially when writing or talking about baseball. I thoroughly enjoyed his columns, his articles, and our too infrequent conversations. Thank you, Mike!
Paul Smith
July 4, 2025
Mike loved living life and his beloved Cincinnati Reds. We all must cherish the great memories. What an amazing wordsmith and a dear friend. Rest In Peace, Mike!
bob Seggerson
July 4, 2025
Mike wrote the story for the Lima News when I was first hired as the head coach at LCC. I remember that he had to walk up a couple flights of stairs to get to my office in the gym and I felt awful when I realized that. He blew it off. He refused to allow his physical challenges to affect him. He was clever and smart and witty and a gifted writer. I was lucky to call him a friend.
Jim Krumel
July 4, 2025
Mike enjoyed working for a newspaper. He would say, "I've not only covered a lot of characters, I've worked with a lot of characters.
Karan Longbrake
July 4, 2025
Mike was a gem. I will miss him.
John Grindrod
July 4, 2025
From my time both as a young teacher and coach and years later writing for the newspaper, I knew Mike and liked and admired him so very much. Despite more than two men´s share of medical adversity, he endured and thrived. Rest in eternal peace, Michael.
Don Stratton
July 4, 2025
Mike was a very interesting person to converse with, and an excellent. He always had the most positive attitude, and was a joy to be around.
Nellie Daum
July 4, 2025
It was an honor and a privilege to have worked with Mike. He was such a wise, intelligent, wonderful man who enriched the lives of the people who knew him. I could get lost in his stories. It didn't the matter the subject matter, because he was a master storyteller. Mike, you will be greatly missed!!!!
Anne
July 3, 2025
I remember when he went to all those Lima 's many moons ago. That was so cool. Rest in Peace Mike, you will always be remembered
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