Lacy Edwards

Lacy H. Edwards, 74, passed away on December 14th, 2021 following a heart attack. He is survived by his wife Parvin, his four daughters, D’Anne, Jennifer, Sara, and Julie, his 2 step-sons, Sulton, and Mehron, his 8 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

Lacy was born in Sycamore, Alabama, on September 7th, 1947 to Alma Lillian and Homer Edwards, the last of twelve children. After losing his parents at a young age, Lacy began developing his entrepreneurial spirit, solely operating a chicken farm by the age of 15. Following high school, he joined the Marines, an experience he later said he was grateful only lasted two years, but one that taught him a great deal of discipline. Soon after, Lacy heeded an internal voice that prompted him to get on his motorcycle and ride out west to the San Francisco Bay Area, a place he would from then on consider home. There, he put himself through college taking full class loads while working nights at the loading docks in Oakland. After graduating, he moved on to the burgeoning tech industry.

His career in the software industry spanned four decades, starting in the very early days of Silicon Valley. He was a naturally charismatic leader, and that trait coupled with passionate ambition and a tireless pursuit of excellence led him to a successful and exciting career as a Silicon Valley CEO. He was known as having “The Midas Touch” in business, with a well-honed skill for identifying individuals and companies with potential and helping them succeed. During his final years he paused for reflection on his accomplishments, and used the quiet time of the COVID-19 pandemic to write a memoir of the lessons learned from his life and career entitled Takeaways: 101 Lessons from 30 Years as a Silicon Valley CEO.

Lacy was a larger than life presence, and he played as hard as he worked. He earned the nickname "Captain Lacy," through his many dedicated hobbies, including flying planes, race car driving, and sailing. He was always up for an adventure, living by the motto "I can't imagine why I wouldn't." He enjoyed travel, great food, excellent wine, and knew how to throw the party of a lifetime. For many years he co-owned a lively restaurant in the heart of San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, Jianna, where he treated all patrons as an extension of his social circle. Over the years, his work led him to take up residence in New York City, Fort Collins, Colorado, Austin, Texas, and finally Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He was a magnifying social force, finding great friends and the best restaurants everywhere he went.

Lacy was a dedicated father, friend, and husband, and everyone who knew Lacy knew of his love for and devotion to his family. He was always available to offer wise counsel, endless encouragement, and deep friendship to each of his daughters. He was captivated with each of his grandchildren, always taking time to ensure they knew how special they were to him.

Lacy was the life of every party, a compassionate listener, a wise mentor, an open-hearted friend, and an engaging and wild storyteller. His life made the world a better place, and his memory will continue to guide and encourage all the lives he touched.

A celebration of life will be held April 30th, 2022 at 1 pm in Paradise Park, Tiburon, California. Please reach out to Jennifer Edwards at [email protected] for more information.