ALBANY, NY - Long time Oneonta resident Vera Thayer, 95, died at the home of her daughter and son-in-law Susan and Rev. David Dietsche of Albany, NY, on Friday, January 20, 2017. She died very peacefully in her favorite recliner with Sue and Dave at her side. We know Mom is now in heaven with the Lord.

Vera was born in Yonkers, NY and grew up in Catskill, NY in a large, blended family. She was a graduate of Oneonta State Teachers College and taught briefly before marrying Allen E. Thayer, who died in 1993. Vera and Allen met at a youth function at the former First Baptist Church, Oneonta. They would marry in 1944 and raise their three children in First Baptist. Vera was proud to be a housewife and homemaker at a time in our culture when these terms were looked up to and held in high regard. After raising three children there was still time for a career. Vera assisted her husband and his two partners Ralph Larsen and Ralph Blanchard in a business of real estate development and apartment management. She held a real estate sales license and sold homes for Demulder Realty which would become Better Homes and Gardens. Vera loved working with young couples and helping them to find their first homes. Many of these couples would remain life-long friends. Vera was very proud to find a developer and sell the land for the Oneonta Hotel on Main Street.

Blessed in so many ways, Vera still knew trials. She knew the separation and anxiety of sending a newlywed husband off to war. She knew loss, seeing her husband, all but one sibling and her adult child Terry E. Thayer die before her. She knew illness, battling and surviving breast cancer. She faced all these and other trials of this world with grace and dignity, leaning on her strong Christian faith.

Vera was pre-deceased by sisters Dorothy Bryant, Viola Vrooman, Carolyn Sausser, her husband Allen E. Thayer and son Terry E. Thayer. She is survived by one brother Rev. George (Doris) Norton of Ripley, TN, her daughter-in-law Cynthia Thayer of Oneonta, her daughter Susan (Rev. Dave) Dietsche of Albany, her son Rick (Kathy) Thayer of Bremerton, WA, grandchild Frank (Jeanmarie) Thayer of Forney, TX and their children Erik, Benjamin, Julia, Joseph and Thomas, grandchildren Meg and Tad Dietsche of Albany, grandson John (Jolene) Thayer of Bremerton, WA and their daughter Clementine, and granddaughter Julia (Erik) Peterson of Port Orchard, WA and their children Evan, Kate, and Jack, as well as numerous loved nieces and nephews.

A memorial service in Albany will be Saturday, January 28th at 2:00 pm at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 85 Elm Avenue, Delmar with Rev. Mark Mueller, Pastor, officiating. Friends may call at the church on Saturday prior to the service from 12-2 pm.

A memorial service in Oneonta and burial at the Oneonta Plains Cemetery is planned in the spring and friends and family will be notified.

A condolence book is available at ParkerBrosMemorial.com.

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