Lacey Nicole (Lankford) Parada, age 38, passed away on March 16, 2026.

Lacey Nicole (Lankford) Parada passed away on March 16, 2026, at her home in Hollister, Missouri. She was born March 28, 1987, at Bolivar Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, Missouri. The cherished daughter of Robert L. and Anna Lee Lankford. They lived on a small farm in Hickory County, Missouri for Lacey’s early life. Lacey loved helping take care of the farm animals and entering the County Fair competitions.

She fished with her daddy, rode the tractor, and the highlight of her day was getting to steer various vehicles with her dad. As a preschooler, Lacey was the queen of the semi-truck her dad operated, going on the road with him for two years. Lacey started school in the Weaubleau district; then in second grade went to Hermitage, Missouri. In third grade, she moved to the Branson, Missouri district where she lived with her mother and grandmother, Olivan Bundy.

Lacey led a fun, active childhood. While in the Pomme de Terre area, she played t-ball. She was Little Miss Merry Christmas and sang in the church youth choir. Lacey played third grade basketball and was on the teen bowling travel team at Dogwood Lanes and later in Tuesday night bowling league. She was a member of the Branson Christian Church. Lacey graduated high school in 2005 from new Life Academy in Hollister, Missouri, and began college at CMSU. Later, she took additional college courses at Ozark Technical Community College. Lacey was magical on the computer, very technical savvy.

Wanting to save a car, she began restaurant work at Rock Lane Resort in Branson. Lacey later worked at Sadie’s Sideboard, where she met Alfonso Parada. They married in 2008, and enjoyed traveling, twice to Mexico and to Kennedy Museum in Dallas, Texas, attending numerous concerts. They separated around 2022. Lacey worked her way up in various hotel front desk positions in Branson, Missouri, eventually becoming the Guest Services Manager at Wilderness Club at Big Cedar Resort, a Bluegreen property. Those were the most fulfilling years of Lacey’s short life. She loved providing exceptional service to make sure every guest had an amazing stay. She always took pride in her work. Lacey also wrote hundreds (or maybe thousands) of reviews as an Amazon product review for numerous years, versed in a wide variety of gadgets, gizmos, fashion, home, and office products. 

Lacy was a life-long Kansas City Chiefs fan and a world series follower (Houston Astros); she had fun with Fantasy Football. As an adult, she loved adventure and relaxation, going out on a paddleboard on her days off work, or fishing as she always loved the water. On workdays, she looked forward to dressing professionally and was always fashionable forward. She had a great color and décor sense; she appreciated quality in everything and was known for her empathy, her work abilities, her beaming smile and larger-than-life laugh. Lacey enjoyed fun nights hanging out with friends, chatting over special food, or going to events, but she also loved snuggling on the couch with her dogs - those were her babies.

Lacey was preceded in death by her father; grandmother; and a long list of other relatives, friends, and even classmates. 
She will be profoundly missed by her mother, Anna Lee. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Everloved to help others with unexpected end-of-life costs. Arrangements and cremation are under the direction of Cremations of the Ozarks.

To leave an online condolence or memory, please visit http://www.cremationsoftheozarks.com. 

Cremations of the Ozarks
115 Industrial Park; PO Box 673
Hollister, MO 65672
Ph. (417) 544-0218  Fx. (417) 544-0219