Lora Lavin (nee Harrer) of Swarthmore, PA, died peacefully at the age of 88 on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Lora was born in Buffalo, NY in 1936, received her B.A. from Marycrest College in Davenport IA, M.S. from Marquette University in WI, her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a master’s in public administration from Tennessee State University. In addition to teaching Biology at Rosemont College, Rosemont PA, the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and Delaware County Community College in PA.
She advocated for voting rights, fair elections, women’s rights, and better government. She served with Common Cause as State Coordinator and National Governing Board member and was on the state boards of the League of Women Voters in multiple states. Her dedication to community service continued locally during her four decades living in Swarthmore, serving on the Borough Council and Planning Board, and heading the Swarthmore Friends of the Arts. She also sang with the choir at St. John Chrysostom Church in Wallingford.
Lora began painting in the 1960’s, taking lessons from Edward Loper Sr of Delaware whose influence can be seen in her early work. She developed her own style over the years which was heavily influenced by late impressionist and modern artists. Her work is included in private collections nationally and internationally.
Lora is fondly remembered by friends and family for her loving and caring spirit, competitive bridge playing, spreading beauty to the world through her art and gardening.
Lora is survived by her daughters, Jennifer Lavin and Elinor Hays (nee Lavin), son in law James Hays Jr., sisters Betty Tuttle (nee Harrer), Nancy Baum (nee Harrer), her brother-in-law Richard Baum, and nieces Suzanne Baum-Rebollo and Ellen Young (nee Tuttle).
A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations can be made in her honor to the League of Women Voters, https://www.lwv.org/givelwvef?gad_source=1, or the Wallingford Art Center, Wallingford, PAhttps://communityartscenter.org/donations/.