Thomas J. "Tom" Lackey

Thomas Joe Lackey, 77, formerly of Parsons, Kansas, passed away on December 12, 2025, in Independence, Kansas, following a prolonged illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Dorothy Lackey; his younger sister, Judy (Lackey) Diver; and his second wife, Cheryl (Wilson) Lackey Donelson.
Tom was born in Parsons, Kansas, on July 10, 1948. Known as "Tommy" when he was young, he was energetic, social, and happiest when there was a ball involved. Sports were part of his life early on, and he spent much of his childhood playing baseball, basketball, and football. He was competitive, loyal to his team, and rarely far from friends.
He especially loved baseball and played for Parsons public schools, something he remained proud of long after his playing days were over. One of his most treasured keepsakes was a trophy he earned while competing against Pittsburg, Kansas teams that included Bill Russell, who later went on to play Major League Baseball. The details of the game faded over time, but the pride never did.
Tom learned the value of hard work early. As a boy, he delivered newspapers and later worked as a grocery store bagger, taking responsibility seriously even at a young age. He was also involved in Boy Scouts.
Because his mother contracted polio during his early childhood, Tom spent much of that time on his grandparents' farm in Edna, Kansas. Those years left a deep impression on him. He fished, hunted, wandered the land, and learned the kind of life lessons and values that come from being a boy growing up in rural Kansas in the 1950s.
He attended Lincoln Elementary School in Parsons, East Junior High School, and then, when the former West and East Junior High Schools combined to form one junior high school, he attended ninth grade in the present junior high school building, which once housed Parsons Community College. He graduated from Parsons High School in 1966 and attended JUCO and Pittsburg State University.
Notes left by friends in his 1966 Parsons High School yearbook make it clear that Tommy was rarely alone and never bored. He had many friends, was known as a bit of a girl chaser, always seemed to know where the fun was (according to his yearbooks it was prayer meetings at Pappas's), and he was probably the last to leave the party. These friendships were not fleeting; they were deeply important to him, and he maintained many of them until the day he died. In his own words, shared in notes for his High School reunion, "I really enjoyed high school because of all my friends and teammates. I had a lot of fun playing sports, necking, drinking beer, playing pool at Club Billiards, going to the Rock Quarry, and double dating with my friends. After a while, I even learned to enjoy dancing."
After high school, Tom was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He spent time at Fort Leonard Wood before being discharged as physically unfit due to an old football injury.
Following his discharge, Tom worked at Sun Graphics in Parsons from 1969 to 1990 as a scanner operator, excelling in photo editing for advertising and print in the days before Photoshop existed. During that time, he married his first wife Robin Burgess and had one daughter, Amy. He later divorced and remarried Cheryl Wilson, adopting her two children, Lori and Brian, and together they had one son, Jarred.
In 1990, he divorced Cheryl and moved with Amy and Jarred to Rowlett, Texas, where he worked at Graphic Detail and later Wilson Engraving. Highly skilled in his trade, he was remembered by coworkers not only for his talent, but for the way he worked alongside others, with dedication, humility, and the same commitment to his team that he had learned on the ball fields. When Amy later returned to Kansas to finish school, Tom raised Jarred as a single father, working long hours to provide while remaining present and actively involved in his son's life. Jarred remembers him as being "like a machine". He saw him as always working, always showing up, and always committed to being both a provider and a parent.
In 2003, Tom returned to Kansas and began working at the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center, where he remained until his retirement in 2011. The role allowed him to use the patience, understanding, and compassion that reflected who he was at his core. He formed meaningful relationships with residents and was especially gifted at de-escalating difficult situations with disabled adults who were often in crisis. He routinely went the extra mile and found purpose in the trust he built and the connections he made.
Throughout his life, Tom maintained a love for fishing, the Kansas City Royals, the Jayhawks, and late nights filled with good conversation. He enjoyed a cold beer, a good game of pool, and, during the 1970s, he definitely had the best sideburns in the bowling alley.
In retirement, he embraced the opportunity to spend meaningful time with friends and family. He especially treasured long road trips with close friends and being in the stadium in person to see the KC Royals in a World Series playoff game, as well as later seeing the trophy. Though his health was often a challenge during those years, these experiences were some of the happiest and most fulfilling moments of his later life.
Tom was a good friend, a good son, a good brother, and a deeply devoted and involved father. He had a strong sense of integrity and a solid work ethic and raised his children to have the same. He deeply valued his community and the people in his life. He was a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy who once stated that he didn't understand why people felt the need to travel when everything good you could ever want was right here. For those who loved him, there will always be an emptiness in knowing that he is no longer right here, too.
He is survived by his sister, Janet Lackey of Parsons, Kansas; his children, Jarred Lackey of Sherman, Kansas, Brian Lackey (Jewel) of Sarasota, Florida, Amy (Lackey) Jackson (Erskine) of Lawrence, Kansas, and Lori (Lackey) Mullins of Sherman, Kansas; fourteen grandchildren; and his first wife, Robin Burgess.
In keeping with his spirit and honoring his wishes, a celebration of life will be held at Ballers in Parsons, Kansas, on January 10th from 3:00-5:00 pm. Rather than a formal service, it will be a casual gathering centered on the things he loved most: good conversation, good drinks, and good company. Stories, photos, and memorabilia will be shared, likely alongside a beer or two and a game of pool. Friends are invited to come as they are and bring a favorite memory to share.