Lacey Bernadine Ploeger

Lacey Bernadine Ploeger was born February 4, 1980 in Cuero, Texas to Leslie and Bernadine (Deanie) Ploeger of Gonzales, Texas. She passed away September 17, 2019 at the age of 39 years and 7 months in Odessa Texas. She is survived by her parents, Leslie and Bernadine Ploeger, daughter, Paisley Ploeger of Gonzales, son, Seamus Hollywood Sullivan and his adopted parents, Maura and James Sullivan of Brookeville, Maryland, and friend, Loren Diedrich of Midland. Lacey was preceded in death by her grandparents, Leslie & Dorothy Ploeger and Fred and Bernice Thoms. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Gonzales.

Lacey grew up in the Hochheim community and was a true country girl surrounded by animals and agriculture. She was a natural equestrian and was thrown from a horse for the first time at the age of two. That did not stop her though. She traveled the Palomino Horse Breeders of America circuit across the country with her mother and began showing when she was eight. Together, the family traveled many miles with horses and the first Mumphry, and Lacey excelled in every event. Lacey also rodeoed with TYRA running barrels and roping. She showed livestock through 4H and FFA, including sheep, steers, and heifers. She passed along her love of animals to her daughter, Paisley.

Lacey attended Gonzales public schools and graduated with honors in 1998. She was a member of the National Honor Society, Thespians, Futures Scientists, and FCLA. Lacey was also an Apache Flame, and she played basketball and ran track. Following high school, she attended Texas A&M, Texas State, and the University of Houston in Houston as well as community colleges in California. She had a real estate license in the state of California. In 2005, she moved to California to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. Paisley was born in 2006 and she moved to the San Francisco area and attended FIDM there. Lacey and Paisley eventually moved back to Texas to be closer to family, but returned to California and remained there until 2012.

She wanted to see the world, so she did from the windshield of an 18-wheeler. She got a CDL and became an over the road trucker and traveled the United States from coast to coast. Lacey especially loved the mountains. She followed the trucking business to the oil fields of South Dakota and eventually to West Texas. She settled in Midland, Texas, where she remained until her death.

Lacey’s free spirit took her through many walks of life and many places. She loved all people and animals, never turning away anyone in need or any stray dog or cat. Her friends and family will remember her for the bright and spontaneous person she was.

A Memorial Service will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, September 24, 2019 in The First Methodist of Gonzales with Rev. Dr. Matt Pennington and Rev. Eradio Valverde officiating. The family will receive friends beginning at 3 p.m. Tuesday prior to the service in the Methodist Church. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Gonzales 2020 Costa Rica Mission Trip or the First United Methodist Church of Gonzales Good Samaritan Fund. Friends may leave their condolences to the family by visiting www.seydlerhillfuneralhome.com. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.