Martha Linda "Janie" Franks Lacy

Linda was born to Marieta Daugherty and Samuel Gordon Franks, Jr. on July 5, 1942 in Dallas, TX. Linda had a wonderfully unique childhood, where she was raised both in the city and the countryside. This allowed her to enjoy time with her gaited Tennessee Walking horse, Lady, at the family farm in East Texas. She was raised in the Baptist church and gave her life to the Lord at a young age. This faith sustained her throughout her life. When attending school in Dallas, she was the editor of her middle and high school’s newspaper (which could be why no one could ever beat her at Scrabble.) During the summer before her senior year, while working as a Hostess at Wyatt’s cafeteria in Dallas, she met her husband, Ralph Craig Lacy. Linda finished high school in his hometown of Henderson, TX, and they married in 1959 and settled in Dallas to start their family of three girls - Laura Diane Weaver, Donna Beth Jones, and Jennifer Kay Lacy.

While working as a single parent Linda completed her Associate’s Degree and later earned her Paralegal certification. She was elected President of the Dallas Texas Legal Secretary League, and she worked in the legal profession in one form or another for over 40 years. As the girls grew up, Linda worked tirelessly, oftentimes two or three jobs at once to provide everything for them. At many of these jobs, she raised, trained or “babysat” baby attorneys and had a fondness for working with them. Linda had many side gigs throughout her life. She loved teaching Fun Ed courses, making soap, potpourri bags, crocheting, knitting and other crafts to sell at Craft Fairs and bazaars. There was not a craft she wouldn’t try (and she had the garage full of pattern books and yarn to prove it.)

Linda had a passion for traveling and new adventures. She visited Europe, Hawaii and Mexico numerous times with friends and family. However, her home was the place to be for the holidays. She loved all the traditional holiday foods and decorations and everyone was always welcome. One of her many, many strengths was making everyone feel like family. She brought many people into our lives over the years and they were “adopted” as family. You were lucky if she called you her friend. She loved card games, dominoes (and rarely lost), and jigsaw puzzles. As a voracious reader, she never passed a Half-Price book store not worth stopping in for a quick browse. In this, she shared and instilled her lifelong love of reading with her daughters and grandchildren. Linda enjoyed collecting many things - tea kettles, clocks, miniature houses, pretty stemware, and always a cat. Linda was smart, witty, unique, and excelled at anything she put her mind to. She was never afraid to try something new. It never seemed to cross her mind that she couldn’t do it successfully, a trait she inherited on both sides.

Linda was predeceased by her parents, Marieta Flowers, Carl C Flowers Sr., Samuel Gordon Franks, Jr, and Armine Franks, brother, Jimmy Flowers, sister-in-law, Lu Flowers, and sons-in-law, Michael Tennent, and Perry Rogers. She is survived by her sister, Molly and Edwin Boehringer of Mesquite, TX, brother, Carl C. Flowers, Jr. of Campbell, TX, daughters, Laura and Norman Weaver of Dallas, TX, Donna and Mike Jones of Tomball, TX, and Jennifer Lacy of Richardson, TX. Grandchildren, Tony and Elena Tennent of Commerce, TX, Mariah Tennent of Commerce, TX, Colleen and Eduardo Maldonado of Garland, TX, Blaire and Rob Blair of The Woodlands, TX, Samuel Lacy of Buford, GA, and Matthew Huntsinger of San Antonio, TX. Great grandchildren, Henry Jacob Brown, Parker Kate Blair, Aubrey Lane Blair and Perry Jane Blair. Plus a list of cherished cousins and family too long to print. Nothing was more important to her than her family and time with them.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 14, 2024 from 2:00 to 6:00 P.M.

Service (& lunch) will be on Monday, July 15, 2024 at 10:00 A.M.

Celebration of Life lunch will be in the event room from 11:00 to 1:00 P.M

All will be held at Laurel Land Funeral Home and Memorial Park

6300 S R L Thornton Fwy, Dallas, TX 75232.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, the Richardson Senior Center or to St. Jude’s research center.