Lucy was born and raised in the Walla Walla Valley in Washington state. A talented singer, she attended Walla Walla College Academy, now Walla Walla Valley Academy, where she was active musically. While at the academy, she met and dated Max Mace, who was attending Walla Walla College, now University. They married in January 1958, following her graduation from the academy in 1957.

It was while she and Mace were working at United Medical Labs in Portland, Oregon, where he was leading and she was singing in the Rose City Singers, a group sponsored by the company, that the idea for the Heritage Singers developed. After conducting and singing in the group for four years and observing the effect its music had on its audiences, particularly the young, Max and Lucy decided to launch a full-time performing group.

Although this decision cost them their jobs, by June 1971 they had formed a group of eight singers and accompanying instrumentalists, chosen a name, scheduled a tour, and started to travel. While there were challenges then and in later years, they succeeded beyond their wildest expectations.

By the end of their second year, it had become obvious that the organization needed a base from which it could operate. The Maces, who had been renting when the group started, were staying in friends' homes or in motels between tours and operating out of their business manager's garage.

In 1973, they and their business manager found and purchased a large acreage, previously a cattle ranch in Placerville, California. Construction of an 11,000 square foot lodge was started in 1973 that included a rehearsal area, offices, nine bedrooms with shared baths, and two one-bedroom apartments for Max and Lucy and the business manager and his wife. A recording studio was added later.

Although the facility, which has become known as "The Ranch," was not finished by Christmas 1974, the Maces, tired of sleeping in motels, moved into their apartment, which had just been sheetrocked to provide privacy, for the holiday.

Members of the group, wanting to be the first to also sleep at "The Ranch," joined them, even though it meant they had to sleep in their sleeping bags on the first floor, which was totally open and strewn about with building materials. Five years after the purchase of the land, when the business manager and the Maces dissolved their business relationship, the Maces retained the facility and 35 acres.

After singing with the group for ten years, during which time she was known as "Mom" to its members, Lucy injured her legs in an accident in the 1980s and was unable to walk for three months. Although she eventually healed, during her convalescence, she assumed direction of a television series they were starting and led out in that activity for over ten years and 200 programs. Because of these responsibilities and others, she no longer sang with the group.

In time, the Mace family, including their two children, Val and Greg, and their spouses all became participants in an experience that enabled large numbers of young people to sing while providing a Christian witness that has touched the lives of countless listeners.

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