Billie Jean Ray Lacey

With hearts full of love and gratitude, we celebrate the life of Billie Jean Ray Lacey, a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and cherished matriarch of her family who passed away peacefully on 01/27/2026 at the age of 94. Billie was born on February 12,1931 in Guin, Alabama. After her high school graduation, she achieved her Business College degree in Birmingham, Alabama and launched her career in the business world which ultimately led to owning and operating her own business, Lacey Jewelry and Gifts, in Montevallo, Alabama. She spent most of her adult life in Montevallo, which became her home and community in which she richly invested. She served as a business leader in the community, served on the City Council, led numerous charity events, and was a servant leader in her church community. To those who knew her best, she was the unquestioned “Queen” of the family – not by title, but by the way she loved. Her life was marked by faith, strength, humility and unwavering devotion to God and those He entrusted to her care. She ruled her home with grace, wisdom, and a servant’s heart, always placing the needs of others before her own. Billie was a woman of deep faith who trusted God in all seasons of life. Her example taught her family how to love, forgive and persevere. She found joy in caring for her home, gathering her family together, and creating a place where everyone felt welcomed, valued and safe. As a mother, she nurtured with patience and firmness, offering guidance rooted in love. She delighted in each new generation, celebrating their milestones and instilling her life of faith in them. Her legacy lives on in the lives she shaped, the values she instilled and the faith she passed down. She was indeed celebrated as our “Queen”, but more importantly, she knew her true royalty was as a daughter of her King, Jesus Christ. She was preceded in death by her father, Willie Eugene Ray; her mother, Autie Howe Ray; brothers, Jack Ray and Jerry Ray; and husband, Phillip Lacey. She is survived by her brother, Rick Ray (Trina), Pelham, AL; her son, Robert Lacey (Regena), Enterprise, AL; her daughter, Kathy Lacey Hedgepeth (Jerry), Canton, GA; grandchildren, Jessica Lacey Goodson (Sam), Jacob Lacey, and Phillip Hedgepeth (Joanie); great-grandchildren, Adelaide Goodson and Madelyn Goodson; nieces, Dr. Suzanne Lacey, Susan Harris Penhale, Julie Kerlin, Missy Ray, Virginia Lacey Murrane, and Mary Esther Lacey; nephews, Steve Harris, Andy Lacey, Randy Ray, Bobby Ray, Billy Ray; sister-in-law, Margaret Ann Kerlin (Reggie), and many other loved family and friends. The family extends special appreciation to Billie’s invaluable caregivers Rita Croft and Catrina Roper, and to Amedysis Hospice for their exceptional care. Though we grieve her passing, we rejoice in knowing that her “crown” is now eternal, and her love will reign forever in the hearts of her family and those she touched in her lifetime. A Memorial Service will be held on February 20, 2026, at 11 am at First United Methodist Church Montevallo with a Celebration Fellowship immediately following at the Fox and Pheasant Inn in Montevallo, Alabama.

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Billie Jean Ray Lacey

February 12, 1931 - January 27, 2026