Firefighters, friends, and family gathered from all over the state of Ohio to pay their respects to Chief David Allen Lacy, a man by all accounts who understatedly lived his life with the sole purpose of giving to and protecting others.
On Wednesday, June 15th, 2022 Dresden was a sea of red fire trucks and squads as well as men and women in uniform gathering from all over Ohio to weather one of the hottest days in June since 1925, all out of respect and admiration for Chief Lacy.
In the middle of town, two ladder trucks from Dresden Fire Department and the Zanesville Fire Department gracefully held a giant flag above the street for the funeral procession to travel under. Significantly the trucks used were commissioned by Dave himself during his years of service to both communities.
“Dave was the nicest person I ever knew and he gave anonymously and lived a simple life so that he could give to others, his entire life was helping other people. As chief, he was the best chief I ever worked under, when you went on a call you knew that you could do your job and not worry about anything else because Dave was making all the right calls and he had your back! He was one of the smartest men I ever knew, he liked to read manuals and science fiction to stimulate his brain, he had a photographic memory, and was always ten steps ahead in an emergency situation. Along with a great friend, we lost a wealth of knowledge!” stated Scott Ford, one of Dave’s closest friends.
Dave was a quiet man, and from just meeting him you would have no idea the amount of lives he had touched over the years and the responsibilities he took on without wanting any recognition for it. He served 54 years on the Dresden Fire Department on top of the 31 years as a member and eventual Chief of the Zanesville City Fire Department. Lacy was the past president of the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association where he still served as the Southeast District Director.
As busy a man as he was even in his retirement, you would see him from day to day driving around Dresden, helping his sister and brother-in-law out at Agin Hardware, happy to talk to anyone about a multitude of subjects. Dave was even the silent owner of Scotties Den, a place that has been a staple in the Tri-Valley community for years, where people from around the area and visitors to Dresden could stop in to get a home-cooked meal and a slice of homemade pie.
Regardless of whether you knew Dave well, only met him, or didn’t know him at all, it is clear to see that Dresden has lost a great member of our society that leaves a legacy that few can match, but more should try.
