Leslie James “Les” Lacey, of Somerset, Kentucky, began his next great adventure, passing from this life, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Les was born on July 5, 1947, in Derby, England, one of six children born to the late James Richard and Laura Stevens Lacey.
Les was one of those rare individuals who accomplished everything he hoped to accomplish. He longed to sail the open ocean, chasing wonder and beauty most of us only see in dreams. In his own sailboat, he made several solo transatlantic crossings, sailing the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and many other distant waters. Never one to be tethered to the land or sea alone, Les, unencumbered and free-spirited, also learned to fly. He was rated on several types of planes, spent years flying gliders, and even became an accomplished parasailer.
Les grew up in Derby, England, where, as a young man, completed a six-year apprenticeship at the Rolls-Royce Aeroengine Plant. He later served two years in the British Army in the Signal Corps, worked as a commercial fisherman, and a radio officer for the Marr Company.
In the late 1980s, Les set sail for the United States to help a marina expand its houseboat fleet. His tinkering and magnificent mind designed a double-decker houseboat, developed all its systems, and eventually worked with a manufacturer to turn the design from a concept to reality. His work continued through a number of special projects across the United States and Canada.
Despite conquering the land, sea, and sky, his greatest expedition began on July 22, 2000, on Sanabel Island, Florida, when he married the great love of his life, Linda S. Cooper of Somerset, KY. Over the years, you could find them building canoes by hand, running their own coffee shop, traveling the world, and, most importantly, to paraphrase their favorite poet, Kahlil Gibran, letting love be a moving sea between the shores of their souls.
Carrying Les’ legacy forward are his wife; his sister Iris Lacey of Long Eaton, England; brothers Alan Lacey of Long Eaton, England, and Stephen (Jo) Lacey of England; brother-in-law Donald (Linda) Cooper of Russell Springs, KY; niece Carys Lacey and nephew Zak Lacey of Oxford, England; and niece and nephew Heather (Marty) Kazsuk and Bryan (Lacy) Cooper of Russell Springs, KY.
In addition to his parents, Les was preceded in death by his older sister Betsy Lacey Rawlings, his beloved younger brother Martyn Lacey, his favorite aunt, Hazel Stevens Baguley, and his Father- and Mother-in-Law, James F. and Eudora Cooper.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.