Berniece Lackey, 91, passed away on December 26, 2016. She was a resident of Colorado Springs and Westcliffe, Colorado for many years. Berniece was born on July 8, 1925 to Carl and Lois (Sammons) Gingerich in Hopewell, Arkansas.
Berniece graduated from Norfork High School as the valedictorian of the class of 1943. She attended college with hopes of becoming a teacher, but her plans changed when she and Winfred Lackey were married on July 13, 1943. Winfred joined the Army-Air Corps and was sent to Arizona for pilot training. Their daughter, Karen, was born in Gassville, Arkansas on November 22, 1944. After WWII ended, the family lived in Arkansas and Missouri. Their son, Michael, was born in Kansas City, Missouri on December 18, 1946. When Winfred returned to the military during the Korean War, Berniece’s life began to revolve around moving and settling wherever the Air Force assigned her husband. They lived in Texas, Maine, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wyoming, Okinawa, Morocco, North Dakota and Germany before retiring to Colorado Springs and Westcliffe, Colorado.
She is survived by her daughter, Karen Lackey Oliver, two sisters, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Winfred Lackey; and her son, Col. (Ret.) Michael Lackey.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, January 20, 2017 at the Shrine of Remembrance, 1730 East Fountain Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado.