Lorayne Craft (Thompson) was a remarkable, generous and loving woman. She was incredibly family oriented with a family created both through blood and through love.   She touched the lives of all that she met.   A longtime resident of Brooklyn, she departed this life on Saturday, April 3, 2021.  She was born on December 17, 1933 in Roanoke, Virginia to the late Rena Clark and Raleigh Craft.  Lori was 87 years old.

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Lori spent her childhood in Roanoke.  She accepted Christ at early age and her entire life reflected His Spirit through the way that she loved and served others.    Later, she moved to New York City with her mother.  She attended New York City schools and attended and graduated from the boarding school, Immanuel Lutheran College in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1951.  Afterwards, she attended and graduated from Hunter College in New York.

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Although Lori grew up in New York, she traveled frequently to Roanoke, maintaining close ties to her family. As an only child, Lori considered her cousins as her siblings and their children, her nieces and nephews.

Lori started her career at New York Telephone Company in 1953. Known for her excellent work, commitment, and enthusiasm, Lori held several different positions as the company grew and merged with other phone companies which ultimately became AT&T. Customers would regularly send letters to thank her and praise her work.  In 1980, she was honored for 10 or more years of perfect attendance. After 32 years with the company, Lori took an early retirement in 1985.

In March of 1967, Lori married William "Buddie" Thompson.  A former pro-basketball player, Buddie and Lori shared a love of basketball.   They were perfectly matched as Buddie was also generous and funny.  They enjoyed a life together until Buddie's death in December 2005.

Lori also loved animals. She rescued multiple cats over the years and leaves behind her beloved Sheba.  Further, she would regularly feed other cats who she could not rescue.  She also loved feeding the birds.  She was interested in people and places and enjoyed traveling.  She traveled to California, China, and Hawaii. A public-spirited citizen, she was involved in the Board of Elections and served as a poll worker on election days. Being there on election day was "her thing."

Lori spent nearly 35 years in retirement and during that time she was very active in her community. She moved into the Lindsay Park Co-op in July 1965 and soon that community became family.  She was very involved in serving the Lindsay Park community until her death. She served in a variety of ways such as the Mitchell-Lama Task Force and the RiseBoro Community Partnership – Senior Board.  In Building Five, she was on the repass and decorations committees. Lori was truly committed to serving and helping others.  She participated in many events including training in CPR and FEMA courses in domestic preparedness. When her community needed her, she wanted to be ready. Her service to the community was recognized by the New York State Assembly in 2004. Lori was proclaimed "an outstanding citizen, one who is worthy of the esteem of both the community and the great State of New York."

Lori will be remembered for her generosity, her kindness, her laugh, her willingness to speak her mind, and her ability to connect with people. She will be greatly missed by the wide and deep circle of family and friends whom she loved and who loved her.