Priscilla L. "PJ" (Jay) Lauer

Priscilla L. Lauer

DOVER – Priscilla L. Lauer (nee Jay), known to her friends and family as “PJ” and to the local community as “The Cherry Lady”, 81, entered into rest on Saturday afternoon, April 8, 2023 at her home.  She was the wife of the late Ira E. Lauer, Jr., who died April 27, 2019.  They were married 55 years. One of the kindest people that you could ever meet, she was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother.

Born August 17, 1941 in Delaware County, PA, she was a daughter of the late Nelson G. and Florence G. (Ricker) Jay.  PJ was in the first graduating class of Penncrest High School in Media, PA.

PJ earned a bachelor’s degree from Elizabethtown College in Biology and a Pennsylvania teaching certificate. She met her husband and love of her life at Elizabethtown College. Her first job was teaching at the Dallastown School District. Her next assignment was at York High School until 1976. Afterward, she became a full time homemaker and a part time substitute teacher at the Dover Area School District. She got great joy working with children and touched the lives of many who now reside in York County and beyond.

An avid gardener, she filled her days working in her many gardens. Happiest when her hands were buried in the warm soil, she grew beautiful flowering plants, fruits, and vegetables. During spring and summer, PJ spent most of the spring and summer outside walking with bare feet. She was a member of the Dover Gardening Club and earned the title Master Gardener through Penn State. She enjoyed helping her husband at their cherry orchard where she earned her local nickname. She was the smiling face of the family business for many decades. PJ was an excellent cook and made the best sour cherry pies.

PJ was an environmentalist, active in recycling since the 1970's. She truly loved the Earth and all the creatures on it. She spent many hours watching wildlife from her house's back window where she generously fed the local wild birds. PJ was very excited when the first humming birds would arrive to her home every spring and sad when they would leave in the fall. She also enjoyed maintaining a backyard frog pond stocked with gold fish and a few itinerant green and bull frogs. PJ and her husband derived great joy watching the whitetail deer in their orchard throughout the four seasons of the year, especially around mid November.

PJ was a pet lover who had a special fondness for Scottie dogs, which she owned most of her married life. She had a variety of pets ranging from a skunk named Petunia, a dachshund named Pixie, a groundhog, goats, rabbits, beagle dogs, many parakeets, and a chicken house with Rhode Island Reds where she harvested brown eggs for many years.

PJ is survived by two sons, Ira E. Lauer III and wife, Liza of York and Isaac N. Lauer and wife, Gen of Chappaqua, New York; three grandchildren, Ira E. Lauer IV, Olivia F. Wentz (husband Josh) and Iris Lauer; her brother, Daniel Jay and wife, Mary Lou of Timonium Maryland; and her sister, Martha Forrester of Waldron, AR.

Following cremation, relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Priscilla’s visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. and Celebration of Life Service at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at Emig Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Inc., 47 N. Queen St., Dover.  If you are willing to participate, please bring your memories of PJ to share during the service. Interment will be private in Salem Union Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to York County SPCA, 3159 Susquehanna Trail North, York, PA 17406.

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