Lora Kathryn (Brown) Blair

December 30, 1999

Lora Kathryn Blair
Lora Kathryn Blair, 110, retired farmer and co-owner and publisher of Sawyer News, died Tuesday (Dec. 28, 1999) at Kansas Christian Home in Newton.
She was born July 9, 1889, in Alta Vista to Thomas and Mary (Redwood) Brown. She married Byron E. Blair July 19, 1914. He preceded her in death Feb. 21, 1974.
She attended Emporia Normal school, where she received a teaching certificate. She had additional studies at Kansas State College, now Kansas State University in Manhattan. She taught in rural schools for four years.
She and her husband moved to the Blair homestead near Sawyer, where they lived until 1938. In that same year they purchased The Sawyer News. They retired in 1970 and sold the paper to the Pratt Tribune newspaper in Pratt. She continued to contribute regular articles in the Pratt paper until she was 101. She wrote a column called Gleanings from 1974 to 1990, which appeared in the Pratt Tribune.
She was charter member of Social Benefit Club for Ellenwood Cemetery, Sawyer Christian Church Disciples of Christ, where she did various duties, and Republican Women's Club. She also was a member of Pratt County Historical Society.
She was an avid reader, Bible student, domino player and enjoyed many types of literature.
In her later years she lived with her daughter until the age of 101. She moved to the Kansas Christian Home in 1990.
Survivors include: one daughter, Portia E. (Terry) Lyman of Newton; one granddaughter; two great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and one foster grandson.
She also was preceded in death by 11 brothers and two sisters.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Larrison Mortuary in Pratt with the Revs. Walter Hargraves and Greg Hamlin officiating. Burial will be in the Ellenwood Cemetery in Sawyer.
Family will greet friends from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Memorials have been established with Kansas Christian Home Fellowship of John in care of the funeral home.