Christine 'Chris' Lacy

CHRISTINE "CHRIS" THERESE LACY

Cedar Rapids

Christine "Chris" Therese Lacy, 58, died at home surrounded by her family on May 2, 2017, after a nine-year struggle with myelofibrosis, which included a bone marrow stem cell transplant in March 2016 at Mayo Clinic. Services: 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Matthew Catholic Church by the Rev. Dustin Vu, followed by interment at St. Joseph's Cemetery. A vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Teahen Funeral Home, where friends may visit with the family from 4 to 7 p.m.

Chris was born Oct. 30, 1958, to Vincent and Joan (Greenleaf) Grahs in Alexandria, Va. Chris was preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by her husband, Bruce; her children, Aaron, Ethan, Sarah and Jacob, all of Cedar Rapids; her sister, Paula Grahs of Cedar Rapids; her brother and his wife, Jerry and Amy Grahs of North Liberty; her sister and her husband, Cheryl and Dan Lown of North English; and her sister-in-law, Joann Lacy of Cedar Rapids. She also is survived by three nieces, two nephews and one great-nephew.

After the death of her father, the family moved to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1969. Chris graduated from Dubuque Wahlert in 1977 and Mount Mercy College (University) in 1981, with a degree in social work. She worked as a social worker for Linn County, Northbrook Manor and Pine View Care Center here in Cedar Rapids before opening her own in-home daycare business. For the past 10 years, Chris worked with her husband in his business, Lacy Consulting Group.

Chris married her husband and life partner, Bruce Lacy, on Sept. 17, 1988. Together they loved family and travel. They and their children have visited most of the continental United States and Canada. Chris and Bruce also have traveled to Bermuda, Switzerland, Italy and Greece. She enjoyed organizing the family vacations to locations of natural beauty across the country that often included extended family and friends.

Chris loved the great outdoors and hiking, with a special love of the incredible views and hiking at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. She had a passion for nature, getting the family up early on vacations to watch wolves, bears, bison and other wildlife in the Tetons and Yellowstone. At home, she was an avid bird watcher, attracting nearly all the Iowa native species to her backyard. She was a Cubs fan and the 2016 World Series was a lifetime high for her.

Energetic and positive, her home always was attractive with seasonal decorations. She was the planner and organizer for holidays and family gatherings; always was looking for new skills, such as finger knitting, and turned her frequent visits to the Mayo Clinic into outings for family and friends.

Most important to Chris was her family. As the family grew, she focused on raising her children and their educational development, their special medical needs, and their extracurricular activities. Her home always was open to their friends. She volunteered at their schools and spent many hours assisting with school activities, notably club and school soccer teams.

Chris' family would like to thank all of her friends, who had made the many trips with her from Cedar Rapids to Rochester over the years. They also would like to thank the many caregivers through the years in Cedar Rapids and at Mayo Clinic, especially Dr. Ayalew Tefferi.

In lieu of memorials, the family urges that all those willing to make a personal donation of blood, a true gift of life.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.teahenfuneralhome.com.