Lacey dedicates memorial bench to late Parks Director Lorraine Marie Flemm 

A memorial bench has been installed at the Lacey Depot playground to honor former Lacey Parks, Culture & Recreation Director Lorraine Marie “Lori” Flemm. 

The installation was detailed in a statement released by the City of Lacey on Thursday, Aug. 28. Flemm held the post for almost seven years before retiring in 2016.  

According to the Lacey Parks, Culture & Recreation Department, Flemm’s family chose the bench’s placement near the historic depot building and trailhead to recognize her work in developing the Lacey Depot project and advancing plans for the future Museum and Cultural Center. 

She died of cancer in 2016, the same year she was named Lacey Historian of the Year. 

During her tenure, the city’s park and open space system expanded from 500 acres to more than 1,200. 

She directed the 2011 acquisition of Greg J. Cuoio Park, which is now under development in north Lacey. The land totals more than 537 acres and is described by the city as the “largest adjoining park and open space property” in Thurston County. 

The City of Lacey also credits her administration with shaping park planning and acquisitions that defined Lacey’s recreation system. 

Grant procurement became a defining element under Flemm’s watch, according to the City of Lacey.

She secured more than $1 million through the Community Development Block Grant program to finance expansion of the Virgil S. Clarkson Senior Center, adding space and services for older adults. 

Flemm’s leadership also brought a major transfer of the Regional Athletic Complex into sole city ownership after years of a joint arrangement with Thurston County. 

The bench is located on a paved path at the Lacey Depot playground.