Len Lacy

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John Len Lacy
Louisiana State Representative from Bienville Parish
In office 1964 – 1968
Preceded by	C.L. McCrary
Succeeded by	Edgerton L. "Bubba" Henry
Member of Bienville Parish School Board
In office January 6, 1931 – 1964
Born	September 8, 1900(1900-09-08) Castor, Bienville Parish, Louisiana, USA
Died	June 7, 1998 (aged 97) Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Sallie Williams Lacy (1905-1999)
Children	Doris Lacy Barnes (born 1926) of Newellton in Tensas Parish Billie L. Ainsworth of Tulsa, Oklahoma Carolyn L. Carrow of Monroe
Occupation	Farmer; Cattleman; Businessman
Religion	Methodist
(1) In 1970, the Shreveport Times identified then retired legislator Lacy as one of the most influential persons in Bienville Parish. (2) Lacy and his wife, the former Sallie Williams, both served on the Bienville Parish School Board for a combined forty-one years.

John Len Lacy, usually known as Len Lacy (September 8, 1900 - June 7, 1998), was a prominent farmer, cattleman, landowner, and businessman who served from 1964-1968 as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Castor in Bienville Parish in northwestern Louisiana. Prior to his legislative service, Lacy was for thirty-three years a member of the elected Bienville Parish School Board, headquartered in the parish seat of Arcadia. He served from January 6, 1931, until 1964, when he assumed his legislative seat. In 1970, the Shreveport Times named Lacy one of the most influential persons in Bienville Parish because many who sought guidance in business or politics came to him for advice. His great public interest was in rural development.^[1]

Lacy was born into a pioneer Bienville Parish family in the Ebenezer community south of Castor on the night of the deadly Galveston tidal wave. His grandfather was one of the first educators in Bienville Parish. His father was Henry Rufus Lacy, Sr. (1870-1956); his brother, Henry Rufus Lacy, Jr. (1902-1969), was a Castor merchant known throughout the area as Rufus Lacy.^[1]Lacy was married to the former Sallie Williams (June 23, 1905 - January 12, 1999),^[2]who followed her husband as a school board member. She served from August 1964 until her retirement on December 14, 1972.^[3]

Lacy was the last person to have represented only Bienville Parish in the legislature. Until 1968, each parish regardless of its population had been guaranteed a seat in the 105-member Louisiana House. Bienville was thereafter combined with neighboring Jackson Parish. Edgerton L. "Bubba" Henry, a Democrat from Jonesboro, the seat of Jackson Parish, defeated Lacy in the 1967 primary, and in 1972, Henry began an eight-year stint as the Speaker of the Louisiana House.^[4]

The couple had three daughters, Doris Lacy Barnes (born ca. 1926), the widow of Orrice R. Barnes (1921-1996),^[5], an Idaho native and the former Western Auto dealer in Newellton in Tensas Parish in eastern Louisiana; Billie L. Ainsworth and her husband, William G. Ainsworth, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Carolyn L. Carrow and husband, Guy E. Carrow, of Monroe. There were six grandchildren: J. Russell Barnes, M.D. (born 1952), of Vicksburg, Mississippi, David Lacy Barnes, M.D. (born 1954), of Monroe; Terry Ainsworth Evans of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Martha Ainsworth Healey of Edmond, Oklahoma, Stephen C. Carrow of Tulsa, and T. Scott Carrow of Jacksonville, Florida. He had ten great-grandchildren.^[6]

Lacy died in a Monroe hospital. The Lacys are interred in the New Ebenezer Cemetery south of Castor.^[1]

Preceded by C.L. McCrary

Louisiana State Representative from Bienville Parish John Len Lacy 1964–1968

Succeeded by Edgerton L. "Bubba" Henry

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