Mrs. Lona Belle Poole Lackey, 103, of Hiddenite, N.C. went to her heavenly home on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Valley Nursing Center of Taylorsville, N.C.

Mrs. Lackey was born September 29, 1921, in Alexander County, the daughter of the late Benjamin Harrison Poole and Bertha Irean (Irene) Watts Poole.

Mrs. Lackey worked various jobs in her young adult life and even drove a manual shift heavy logging truck to help support her family and husband’s logging business. In the early to mid-1950s, Mrs. Lackey volunteered to drive and became the first woman to ever drive a bus for the county’s then-segregated school, Happy Plains, in Taylorsville. Later, she worked at Holly Farms until her retirement and was a lifelong member of Zion Chapel AME Zion Church in Hiddenite, N.C. Over the years, Mrs. Lackey sang in the choir, was a Sunday School Superintendent, Deaconess, and a Missionary. She was always willing to help wherever needed and enjoyed baking from scratch, sewing, and tending to her vegetable garden. She was deeply loved by her family and community.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Burley Lackey Jr.; her children, Beryl Carlton Jr., Effie Irene Lackey, Steve Harrison Lackey (Jeanette), and Gary Eugene Lackey; and two grandchildren, Baby Lackey and Melvin Todd Morrison.

Those left to cherish and honor Mrs. Lackey’s memories include her daughters-in-law, V. Diane Carlton of Charlotte, N.C., Melissa Smith Lackey of Taylorsville, N.C..; sons, William Ray Lackey Sr. (Joyce) of Conover, N.C., and Harvey Lee Lackey (Jeanie) of Taylorsville, N.C., and daughter, Barbara Jean Robinson of Hiddenite, N.C.; 16 grandchildren, 21 great-great grandchildren; and eight great-great-great grandchildren.

The Homegoing Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Zion Chapel AME Zion Church, Hiddenite, N.C. Pastor Robin Curry will officiate. The family will receive friends from 1 until 2 p.m. prior to the service.

The viewing for Mrs. Lackey’s body will be on Friday, September 26, 2025, in the Adams Funeral Home Chapel from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Condolences may be sent to www.adamsfunerals.com.

Adams Funeral Home and Cremation Services is honored to be serving the family of Mrs. Lona Belle Poole Lackey.