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Oct. 06, 1985 – Aug. 29, 2023

Lacey Robinette Handjis, 37, of Natchez, joined her loved ones in heaven, on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in Natchez, MS. Services will be on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at Trinity Episcopal Church with Fr. Ken Ritter officiating. Visitation with friends and family will begin at 10 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. with a Celebration of Life at Myrtle Terrace afterwards at 310 North Pearl St.

Mrs. Handjis was born in Natchez, MS on Oct. 6, 1985, to Charles Harris Robinette, Jr., and Constance “Connie” Robinette. Lacey was raised as the youngest daughter of the family, with brothers, Joey and Charlie. She spent her childhood in Natchez and attended Trinity Episcopal Day School. She had countless friends and made wonderful memories at her Hammaws house painting, fishing, and playing on the “teardrop” loop with all her cousins. Lacey was brighter than the sun. She had a heart of gold and an infectious laugh. She had a love for all animals from her first Labrador, Phoebe, to her beloved horse, Hero. She was a graduating member of the high school class of 2004 and shared wonderful times with her classmates. She was the leader and president of the “Goof Troop.” She made a friend in every season of life. 

Lacey was a resident of Natchez and a member of Trinity Episcopal Church. She was a graduate of Trinity Episcopal Day School and Central Louisiana Technical Community College where she earned her degree in nursing. Her lifelong sympathetic nature led her to serve as a wonderful nurse in her community. She was employed as a hospice care consultant for Hospice Compassus in Natchez.  Her energetic and bubbly personality paired with her beautiful smile and infectious laugh brought joy to all who met her.  To know her was to love her. She never met a stranger and brought a smile and laugh to everyone in her path. She was a comedian, to say the least, and had a way with words that would have you grinning ear to ear. Her career in nursing was her passion. She prided herself on caregiving. She had a gift of making people feel special, always going the extra mile to make everyone feel loved and valued. She always added the “Lacey touch” to make everything just perfect. Lacey was the epitome of love and felt like home to many. Lacey married the love of her life, Russell Handjis, on December 30th, 2017. Lacey did many wonderful things she was proud of throughout her life and career, but her greatest joy of all was her two boys, Jack and Tyler. They were the light of her life. Nothing brought a bigger smile to her face than those boys. She made every day spent with them equivalent to Christmas morning. Every day with the boys was a pure blessing to Lacey, and her joy could not be masked. The smallest moment in their lives, she documented. From Saturday morning pancakes and cartoons to trips to the beach. She was proud of all the same. Each day with them was a pure blessing to her. From the moment they entered this world, Lacey’s world changed. Her love for them was hard and fierce, as a mother’s love should be. Lacey was a remarkable woman. She was a wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and proudest of all, mother.  She was a blessing to all. 

She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Clayton Gibson Sr.; her father, Charles Robinette Jr.; uncle, Richard Durkin; grandmother, Vivian Smith Robinette; grandfather, Charles Robinette Sr.; nephew, Chase Gillespie and father-in-law, John Handjis.

Those left behind to cherish Lacey’s memory are her beloved husband, Russell; children, Jack and Tyler, stepdaughter, Hallee; mother, Connie Robinette; grandmother, Jane Gibson (Hammaw); brothers, Joey Garrett (Mandy), Charles Robinette (Pamela), Scott Riley (Amy); nieces and nephews, Audrey and Avery Garrett, Greenlee and Harris Robinette, Aidan and Kaitlin Riley, and Ava Gillespie; aunts and uncles, Clay Gibson (Angela), Nancy Durkin, John Gibson (Lucy); mother-in-law, Sherry Handjis; sister-in-law, Kristi Russell (Blake); cousins, Parker Gibson (Dominique: Vivienne and Grant), Britt Gibson (Jamie: Ashton and Aiden), Conor Gibson (Bettina: Violet and Scarlett), Reeve Gibson (Katie: Zoie, Lola, and Colin), Hannah Durkin (soon to be Richard Everett) and Mae Durkin, Meghan Campbell and Fiancé David Hilton (Mady and Sully), Melissa Valentino (Guy), Devon Gibson (daughter, Olivia), Josh Gibson (Ariela), DeLeslyn Huggins and Stephanie Billingley (Bill) and lifelong friends Madison Johnson Stampley (Eric), Whitney Bradford (Cole), Stacy Alexander (Will), Rebekah Stewart (Kevin), Denver Coats (Phillip), Jessica Best (John) and Bradford Rollins (Ginny) and Alexa Lazarus (Clayton).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Jack and Tyler Handjis Bereavement Fund in care of Regions Bank Tracetown Branch, Natchez, MS. 

Pallbearers will be Bradford Rollins, Will Alexander, Shaun McDonald, Butch Johnson, Eric Stampley, Peter Powell, Blake Russell, and Cole Bradford.

Services in care of Laird Funeral Home.  Interment at Natchez City Cemetery to happen at a later date. 

Online condolences may be sent to the family at lairdfh.com.