Julie Ann Branstad Lacy

Passed Away on April 10, 2021

Julie Ann Branstad Lacy, affectionately known as Jules, Great Julie, and Beste, passed away peacefully in her Mesa, Arizona, home on April 10, 2021.  She is survived by her former husband of 30 years, Robert Lacy, her devoted sister, Mary Branstad, her loving daughters, Blair and Britton Lacy, four adoring grandchildren, Evan and Ellis Graham and Baker and Zadie Bell, a caring son-in-law, Richard Bell, and a multitude of admiring nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Julie was born in Forest City, Iowa, on May 7, 1945, to Verna (Jensen) Branstad and Nels Branstad.  She graduated from Forest City High School and attended St. Olaf College before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she graduated with a degree in English in 1967.  She continued on as a Badger to earn her Master’s Degree in Education and English in 1970.  After her father reminded her that she could not be a professional student, Julie secured a job at Walpole High School in Walpole, Massachusetts, where she taught English for several years.  Julie met Robert Lacy while playing tennis, and decided to marry him in 1976 despite his unfortunate mustache at the time.  Julie and Rob settled into a home in Hingham, Massachusetts, and soon thereafter welcomed Blair and Britt into the world.  Julie then fulfilled her longstanding dream of becoming a lawyer, and graduated from Boston College Law School in 1987, magna cum laude and mother of two.  She practiced corporate law at Choate Hall & Stewart in Boston, Massachusetts, until she decided the 60-hour workweeks left too little time for her family.  She then wholeheartedly embraced being a stay-at-home mom, during which time she vocally attended her daughters’ every sporting event and musical performance, and was actively involved in the Hingham School Committee, House of Prayer Lutheran Church, the local YMCA, and numerous fundraising committees.

Julie was a gifted pianist, a talented athlete, a New York Times crossword puzzle whiz, a voracious reader, an avid sports fan, an outstanding cook, and a skilled card player.  She had impeccable handwriting, an amazing sense of style, an immense pride in her Scandinavian roots, a ready laugh, and a quick wit.  Above all else, she had an enormous heart, boundless generosity, and overwhelming love for her family and friends.  If you spoke to her for more than five minutes, you would inevitably hear about how much she adored her daughters, and that she was most proud of how much they cherish each other.

Julie was an unconditionally loved daughter, sister, aunt, great-aunt, mother, grandmother, and friend.  She was preceded in death by her beloved mother, father, and sister, Elizabeth Ellen Branstad.  Julie’s luminous spirit and beautiful legacy will be honored daily by her loved ones, and a celebration of her life will be held this summer.  To commemorate Julie’s charitable giving, her family invites you to donate to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo, Iowa, or an organization close to your heart.