Clyde Lacey, Autobiography

By Clyde Lacey

"I have been blessed many ways in my life."

The author was born in 1922 and spent his childhood in the depression years.

He served in the navy during WWII. Cover picture taken the first day back from Pacific WWII.

He obtained an engineering degree while supporting a wife and two sons.

He held various positions in his working career and continues an enjoyable retirement.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Mar 21, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483409368

Book preview

LACEY

Copyright © 2014 Clyde Lacey.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

Cover picture taken the first day back from Pacific WWll.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-0937-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-0936-8 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 2/9/2015

CONTENTS

My Beginning

Family

Faith

Childhood And Youth

Employment Prior To Marriage

Marriage

Employment First Year Of Marriage

Draft

Navy Induction, Schools And Training

Temporary Assignments

Life In The Pacific – Wwii

Back To The Usa

Life During College

Career Employment

Health Problem

Retirement Life

Life Reflections

Summary

Index

About The Author

MY BEGINNING

My name is Clyde Lacey I was born September 16, 1922 on an autumn Saturday in Oronogo, a small mining town in the South West corner of Missouri. My birth was in the home as most births were at that time.

I was the fifth child of nine children.

The first edition was written in January 2014 and this second edition in January 2015. The autobiography was written as I remembered people and events in my life.

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1922: Clyde as baby and four generations: Father. Grandfather Brick, Grandmother Fanny, great grandfather George.

FAMILY

My mother, Margret Stults Lacey and father, Rollon A. Lacey raised nine children. Mother was born in 1894 and died in 1971. Father was born in 1890 and died in 1971.

My father had very poor eye sight all his life due to no medication at birth.

Although the economy was very bad during that time, we were a happy family.

The older children cared for the younger ones and all had assigned chores.

Although our family was large, we seemed close nit and congenial to this date.

All siblings are listed in order of birth including their marriage and children along with a short comment related to each.

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Nita, Clyde, Don, Bill, Wanda, Genile

Nita is deceased; her first husband was Jack Watson with a daughter, Jackie Watson Litchfield and a son, Robert Watson. Her second husband was Fred Carey.

Nita was very outspoken. One did not have to wonder what was on her mind, she told you!

During our 50th anniversary party, she told me I did not think it would last. I asked: why would you say something like that and she surprised us with, because you were so damn wild. That was Nita!

Bob is deceased; he was married to Jerry Morris Lacey with a son, Larry Lacey.

Bob was always the ‘big brother’. One time when I had been told not to go swimming in the river, he caught me doing just that. He had a switch and hit me every step as I ran nude with cloths in hand.

One time Bob and his buddies got caught seeing who could urinate the highest on Bormaster’s store window. Another time, Don came home from school with a bruised head caused by the gym teacher bouncing his head on the floor. Bob knocked out the male teacher’s front teeth and had to pay for the dental work.

Bob suffered from severe arthritis the last thirty years of his life.

He was a hard worker, a trader, thrifty and well respected. The family lived in one of his houses for many years.

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Clyde & Bob

Bernard died as a baby when only fourteen months old.

He died before my time.

Ruth is deceased, she was a beautiful teenager killed in an auto accident.

The song Over The Rainbow was popular at that time and I think of Ruth every time I hear the song.

Ruth’s accidental death is reviewed later in Childhood Events.

Clyde, I have been married 72 years to Mary Louise Martin Lacey with two sons Richard and Thomas.

This is my Autobiography with many comments about my-self and others.

Don was married to Leta with a son, Ron Lacey and daughter, Karan Lacey Seely.

Don served in the Marines in the Pacific during WWII.

He was wild when he first came out of the service.

One time when we were fishing over-night, he didn’t like his girlfriend’s remarks, so he threw her into the river.

He later had a complete change and became active in the Mormon Church.

Don was a very devoted husband in caring for Leta in her long- time illness.

Don died Nov.14, 2014

Bill is married to Betty with five daughters: Victoria Lacey Johanson , Susan Lacey Bates, Terry Lacey Karras, Tammy Lacey Beard and Lori Lacey Ballew.

Bill was a boy’s little league coach at one time and a player’s mother asked him which boy is your son.

She could hardly believe he had five daughters and no sons.

Bill had long curly hair when he was very young and was teased unmerciful. He countered with many bad words and bad reprisals.

He out-grew