Joan Patricia Welty Lacey, 89, of Bushwood, Maryland, peacefully passed away at home on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

Joan was born on May 21, 1935, at her family home on 39 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. She was the daughter of the late George Henry Welty and Lottie May Adams Welty. Joan was the beloved wife of Thomas M. Lacey Jr. (affectionately known as Tucker), who preceded her in death on January 8, 2017. They were married on March 6, 1954, at Holy Angels Church in Avenue, Maryland. Together, they enjoyed 62 years of marriage.

Joan is survived by her daughter, Karen Ann Lacey Fisher (David), along with her two grandsons, Thomas Britton Fisher and Andrew David Fisher (Mackenzie). She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Alice Lacey Mirth (Don), and many dear nieces and nephews. Joan was predeceased by her sisters Evelyn May Owens (Jim), Thelma Loretta Mattingly (Bob), Loraine Ann Lacey (Tommy), and Helen Virginia Oliver (Jimmy).
Raised in DC, Joan spent most of her childhood on White Point in Bushwood, Maryland, moving there after her father's retirement in 1952. Once married she moved back to Washington, DC, where she worked as an account clerk for GEICO from 1954 until 1961. During those years there were many weekend trips to St. Mary's County. They moved back to Bushwood, Maryland (Maddox Road) in 1962 after building a house next to her parents. After raising her daughter, she returned back to the workforce in 1978 where she would go on to spend 21 years as a GM Inventory Clerk at Ken Dixon Automotive in Waldorf, Maryland. Her beloved husband, Tucker, was her boss. While at Ken Dixon, she earned the nickname "Parts Mom"- a role she embraced with pride and dedication. She retired on September 5, 1999.

Throughout her life, Joan and Tucker went on numerous trips, Hawaii being her favorite destination. She made annual trips to Ocean City, Maryland, with a caravan of friends from the 7th District. She enjoyed her involvement with the 7th District Optimist Club alongside Tucker and their friends. She had wonderful memories of times spent on White Point with Loraine, Tommy, Ez, Jim and many nieces and nephews. She looked forward to the annual summer cookouts with her Baltimore relatives. Joan spent many joyous moments with her extended Quade family at Quade's Store. She loved her grandsons, routinely referring to them as "her boys", and loved being called Memaw. On Tuesdays, you could find her at Sarah Jean Pingleton's house where she delighted in playing cards with the girls. Joan loved life, family, friends and the American flag.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to A Community That Shares (ACTS), P.O. Box 54, Bushwood, MD 20618, or to Hospice at St. Mary's, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, November 21, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 AM, led by Pastor Mathew Tate at Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, Maryland. Interment will be held at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Bushwood, Maryland. Serving as pallbearers will be Andrew Fisher, David Fisher, Thomas Fisher, Gary McClave, George Quade III, and Terri Mattingly Scherer. Honorary pallbearers are the "31 Card Club": Duff Bailey, Cathy Bassford, Shirley Dean, Diane McWilliams, Myrtle McWilliams, Sarah Jean Pingleton, and her good friends, Jean Henderson and Diane Quade.