Lora Elizabeth Loy

Lora "Sue" Elizabeth Loy
Medora - Lora Elizabeth "Sue" (Ryder) Loy passed away peacefully at her home in rural Jersey County on October 23, she was almost 92. She is survived by her husband, Oliver Loy Jr. (Mr.Walmart-Jerseyville) and 3 sons David (Kim); Dan (Karen); Luke and a daughter Heather. Also, surviving are grandchildren and great grandchildren of her offspring listed above. Her early childhood in Glasgow, IL. was challenging as she was the youngest of 8 siblings. Her father, Joseph Ryder, died when she was 18 months old and her mother Lora (Ford) Ryder died when she was 13 years old. She lived vicariously being shuttled between her elder siblings to graduate from Winchester High School in 1952. She attended Passavant Nursing School/ Illinois College to graduate Co-Valedictorian in her Nursing class. That same 1955 summer she wed Oliver Loy Jr., at Bethel Baptist Church in Jersey County and he whisked her away in a blue 1952 Chevy to a farm in rural Jersey County. Well, just
actually, a mile down the road from the church. She and Oliver recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in August– although Oliver forgot until Heather reminded him. Holy Cow – he's almost 94. Sue was a registered nurse, farmer, mother and full-time fixer of all manners of bumps, bruises and illnesses to her brood of children and animals on the farm. She was also a great tractor driver, truck driver, pig sorter, chicken butcher, cook, and seamstress. Listing all these jobs makes one tired, and one could say that she never so much as retired from farm life but simply wore out. She even required us to learn how to wring a chicken's neck for butchering, an important life skill for sure. Later in life she enjoyed many luncheon outings with her former nursing classmates, many of whom are still alive. Luke and Heather enjoyed her Illinois College stories so much that they also went to Illinois College. One of mom's greatest satisfactions (the verdict is still out on children) was the family getting involved in raising Nubian dairy goats in 1976. The family started with 6 does and 1 buck and within 3 years had a herd of over 100 and was showing goats competitively all over Illinois and the Midwest. The family herd won several championships and was the top Nubian goat herd at the Illinois State Fair 10 years in a row, Mom was VERY proud, but it was a lot of hard work. Raising bucket calves from the goat milk and finishing the steers and heifers to be sold at the weekly sales at Woodson Livestock Auction was another of her proud farming accomplishments. She enjoyed seeing her name many times printed in the weekly sales advertisements for top selling producer, which reinforced the value of her hard work. Small family farm life is hard and the decline of the family farm led Oliver to start working at Walmart in the late 1980's and Sue continued to maintain the dairy goats and other livestock on the farm and care for the (now grown) children that visited from time to time to fish in the family pond or look for a home cooked meal. We each had a favorite dish. David liked her cream pies, while Dan's favorite was fruit cocktail cake. Luke loved the chicken fried milk gravy (thanks Mom there is no recipe). Heather loved the ham and homemade noodles and has mastered the recipe. We all agree, her pan fried chicken was the best. All in all, Lora Elizabeth "Sue" (Ryder) Loy was a great wife and mother, and we miss her, but she was worn out taking care of all of us (and Dad). Thanks Mom! We are sure her parents and 7 brothers and sisters were in heaven to welcome her with open arms. Joseph Ryder, Thomas Ryder, Mary Lashmett, Catherine Bowers, Cordelia Vick, Clara Ryder, and Alfred "Speck" Ryder. Per her specific orders- No services and cremation rites are entrusted to Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville IL. Memorials may be made to honor our mother, who wanted us to establish an endowed nursing scholarship to Illinois College, 1101 West College Avenue, Jacksonville, IL 62650.