A Howard Payne College graduate of 1950, Leo Lacey attended HPC after serving in the Navy.
 
A pole vaulting standout on the HPC track team, He helped lead the Yellow Jackets to Texas Conference Championships in 1948 and 1949. While a student, he served as President of the Senior Class in 1950 and also was involved in the Veterans Club and church volunteer work.
 
A native of Camp Wood, Texas, north of Uvalde, He retired after a 39-year career with Texaco, Inc. (now Chevron-Texaco) in 1990. During his career he worked in west Texas, New Mexico, Ecuador and Africa.
 
Since his retirement, Leo and his wife have been very involved in civic and community events. They have dedicated numerous hours of service to the HPU alumni and advancement offices. Their service has ranged from answering phones, assisting with mailings, wrapping graduate gifts, volunteering for Homecoming, assisting with playoff basketball games and helping in the Student Essential Food Pantry. Leo also has helped with recruitment of students at the Goldthwaite Goat Cook Off. Leo was instrumental in establishing the HPU Pass It On Fund to help current HPU students who need immediate personal financial assistance.
 
The Laceys were very involved in the Athletic Alumni Chapter and HPU Letterman’s Club. Leo has been instrumental in assisting with projects that have impacted the Athletic department, such as raising the funds to honor each Sports Hall of Fame Honoree with a plaque in the Mamie McCullough Athletic Complex and the Athletic Alumni Endowment.
 
For his longtime, sometimes behind the scenes work for Howard Payne, Leo Lacey was awarded HPU’s Medal of Service in 1998 & 2014 and was Homecoming Grand Marshal in 2010.
 
Simply put, Leo Lacey is everything you want a Howard Payne alumni to be.
 
Married to Jane, HPU class of 1952, they now make their home in Goldthwaite, Texas and enjoy time with their family.