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Tribute by Speaker Bill Howell
I told these stories to Carmela while
we were making plans and she said she
hoped I’d tell them at the Capitol, so I did
get Carmela’s OK to tell them. To me, these
stories really describe Lacey’s character. He
was just an honest, straight forward and do
it by the books man all his life.
Lacey’s wife died after a pretty long
and disabling illness. Lacey was just really
great with her. Carmela Bills worked in the
House of Delegates Clerk’s Office. She had
worked there for years, and her husband had
died about four years before. Lacey called me probably about a year
after Sue had died and asked me for permission to ask Carmela out for
dinner. I kind of laughed a bit I guess, and said “Lacey why are you
asking me? You don’t have to ask me for permission for something
like that. I think it’s a great idea! I’d love for you to do it.” Lacey
explained; “I just worried a little bit Mr. Speaker about the fact that
she works for the Clerk’s office and I am a member of the House.
Some people might see that as some sort of conflict of interest or
undue pressure or whatever. I just don’t want to do anything to tarnish
Winter 2012
INSIDE
Our Gentleman of Virginia
—page 4
The Gentleman from Bedford
—page 7
Congressman Frank Wolf
—page 12
New to the Senate & House
—page 18
V
I R G I N I A
Q U A R T E R L Y M A G A Z I N E
Lacey
Putney,
Virginia
Gentleman
or diminish the stature of the House.” Of course I said I think it’s a
wonderful idea, I’d love for him to do it. And he did. They just had a
great courtship.
Lacey came to me about a year later and told me he and Carmela
were getting married. He said, “Bill, I had to it because she was
breaking me.” He said she would come up to visit in Bedford on
weekends but she would never stay at the house. Of course, Lacey
had this big huge house and you could be on opposite ends of it
and not know the other one was there. She would stay at a bed and
breakfast down the road and Lacey would pay for it . He said, “ It was
just breaking me financially so we had to get married.”
You don’t see that today. I just think it was a wonderful
illustration of not only their commitment towards each other but their
love for each other. They wanted to do everything as they had learned
growing up.
Justice Mims spoke to me afterwards and said that when Lacey
went on his first date he was there. Lacey kept looking at him and
looking at him and finally he came over to him and said,
“Did the Speaker send you here to spy on me?” Carmela
confirmed this too.
There will never be another Lacey Putney.
Remarks made September 6, 2017, when Lacey Putney’s body was
lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda.
The Commonwealth’s longest-serving member of the Virginia General Assembly,
served for 52 years in the nearly 400-year old Virginia House of Delegates.
Putney’s Colleagues
Speak in 1997
“The conservative independent or the independent
conservative; or is he even a conservative? The only
legislator who can advocate an increase in the sales tax
and get away with it.”
Former Delegate Vincent F. Callahan, Jr.
“The Democrats want him. The Republicans want
him.
But the people of Virginia have him!”
Senator Chuck Colgan
“Lacey Putney is the finest example of a public
servant.
A strong guardian of the public funds appropriated
by the state government and a fellow champion of the
rights and compensation of state employees.”
SenatorWalter A. Stosch
“A wealth on Institutional Knowledge—Lacey has
heard every argument that exists on most of our perennial
favorites.”
Delegate John C. Watkins
“A legislator that always puts the best interest of
the citizens of the Commonwealth at the center of his
legislative goals. He is known and respected for his
fairness, frankness and compassion. Best put, it can be
said that his word is his bond, his character and integrity
cannot be questioned.”
Delegate Joseph P. Johnson, Jr.
Winter 2012
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