Dr. Matthew L. Lacy II
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Sir.Mike
Aug 26, 2008, 1:23:16 PM8/26/08
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Dr. Matthew Lyle Lacy II was known for the gifts of his hands -- the
lifesaving skills he employed as a surgeon at Community Memorial
Hospital in South Hill and his talent building grandfather clocks and
other projects.
"When you'd go out into the rural areas, you'd hear how he'd saved
someone's mother or that person himself or both," said a son, John
Wilson Lacy of Chester.
In his shop, he was the "perfectionist who had an ongoing, continuous
list of projects that would never be finished. A lot of people stood
in line for him to work on something for them," his son said.
Dr. Lacy, who came to Community Memorial in 1954 -- the year it opened
-- and retired in 1988, died of complications of cancer Tuesday at the
Masonic Home of Virginia in Richmond. He was 88.
"When he came to Community Memorial it was a small hospital. He read X-
rays, did blood work and rode in the ambulance. The staff members knew
each other and knew the patients. Everyone pitched in and did it all
to represent health care for people in five counties," his son said.
"By the end of his career, everyone was specialized, and he was not a
man fond of managed care."
Dr. Lacy served as chief of surgical services his last 25 years at
Community Memorial. According to an operating-room nurse, he started
each surgery with a mantra: "Let's be good. Let's be quick. Let's be
careful."
Born to a Presbyterian minister and his wife in Washington County, he
grew up in Mount Clinton. His father died when he was 16, and he
worked to fund his college education.
Dr. Lacy graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1941 and taught in
the Dinwiddie County school system to raise money to attend medical
school.
He earned his medical degree in 1946 from Medical College of Virginia,
where he also was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Army Medical
Corps. He served his internship and surgical residency at Lewis-Gale
Hospital in Salem before going on active duty with the Army, including
a stint as assistant chief of surgery at the station hospital at Fort
Lee.
He did a residency at McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond before
going to South Hill.
"One of the things he was most proud of was showing up every night at
local football games at Parkview High School. There were many cold
nights he stood on the sidelines to take care of the players, even if
it got to be 20 degrees," his son said.
Dr. Lacy served on the board of Blue Shield of Virginia for 15 years,
including four years as chairman.
A Freemason since 1956, he was twice master of South Hill Lodge 297,
AFAM, and was grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Virginia in 1979.
lifesaving skills he employed as a surgeon at Community Memorial
Hospital in South Hill and his talent building grandfather clocks and
other projects.
"When you'd go out into the rural areas, you'd hear how he'd saved
someone's mother or that person himself or both," said a son, John
Wilson Lacy of Chester.
In his shop, he was the "perfectionist who had an ongoing, continuous
list of projects that would never be finished. A lot of people stood
in line for him to work on something for them," his son said.
Dr. Lacy, who came to Community Memorial in 1954 -- the year it opened
-- and retired in 1988, died of complications of cancer Tuesday at the
Masonic Home of Virginia in Richmond. He was 88.
"When he came to Community Memorial it was a small hospital. He read X-
rays, did blood work and rode in the ambulance. The staff members knew
each other and knew the patients. Everyone pitched in and did it all
to represent health care for people in five counties," his son said.
"By the end of his career, everyone was specialized, and he was not a
man fond of managed care."
Dr. Lacy served as chief of surgical services his last 25 years at
Community Memorial. According to an operating-room nurse, he started
each surgery with a mantra: "Let's be good. Let's be quick. Let's be
careful."
Born to a Presbyterian minister and his wife in Washington County, he
grew up in Mount Clinton. His father died when he was 16, and he
worked to fund his college education.
Dr. Lacy graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1941 and taught in
the Dinwiddie County school system to raise money to attend medical
school.
He earned his medical degree in 1946 from Medical College of Virginia,
where he also was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Army Medical
Corps. He served his internship and surgical residency at Lewis-Gale
Hospital in Salem before going on active duty with the Army, including
a stint as assistant chief of surgery at the station hospital at Fort
Lee.
He did a residency at McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond before
going to South Hill.
"One of the things he was most proud of was showing up every night at
local football games at Parkview High School. There were many cold
nights he stood on the sidelines to take care of the players, even if
it got to be 20 degrees," his son said.
Dr. Lacy served on the board of Blue Shield of Virginia for 15 years,
including four years as chairman.
A Freemason since 1956, he was twice master of South Hill Lodge 297,
AFAM, and was grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Virginia in 1979.
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