Lora was born on August 25, 1955 in Norwich, N.Y. She was the daughter of Roland J. and Norma A. (MacLaury) Houghtaling. Raised in McDonough, N.Y., she graduated in 1973 from Oxford Academy in Oxford, N.Y. She married Jerry E. Sayles on August 10, 1974. They had just celebrated their 46th anniversary. After high school, Lora worked at the NBT trust department for seven years, before becoming a stay-at-home mom. While caring for their home and children, she served as Town of Pharsalia Chairman of assessors for eight years. Lora went back into the workforce in 1992 spending nearly 24 years at Chenango County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, retiring in 2015.
She was very active in the East Pharsalia Baptist Church serving as a Sunday School and Junior Church teacher, Church Clerk, and Youth Group leader. She played on the church softball team for many years and also sang in a Christian music band, Daybreak, for 45 years.
Lora is survived by her husband Jerry of East Pharsalia, her daughter Tracy (Jack Lupo) Sayles, her son Jason (Lori) Sayles, her brother James Houghtaling, her sisters Marilyn Braendly and Joan (Terry) Bresina, her brother Jeffery Houghtaling, her brothers-in-law Andrew (Maureen) Sayles and Gregory (Shelly) Sayles, her parents-in-law Edwin and Donna Sayles, her grandchildren Judah, Kaleb, Noah and Gideon Sayles, and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, Roland and Norma Houghtaling, her sister-in-law June Houghtaling, and her brother-in-law Arnold Braendly.
There will be no formal funeral services. A private family memorial service will be held at the East Pharsalia Baptist Church. Donations can be made to EPBC or the American Cancer Society.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18