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Today's Featured Biography

Lori Oechsle Straley

After high school I worked at Central Mutual Insurance for 9 years in the Micrographics Department with my mother. I married Brent Straley on March 25,1989. We had our son in January 1992. We got divorced in 1995. I decided to go back to college at Wright State Lake Campus taking business courses getting my Beginning and Advanced Certification in Business Management. From there I transferred my credits to Defiance College, since it was closer to Dana Corporation in Antwerp where I was working at the time as an Accounting Specialist. I successfully got my Associate Degree and my Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Unfortunately, Dana Corporation closed its Antwerp plant. I decided to try my hand in healthcare and started working as and side in the nursing home. I found I truly loved this kind of work, caring for the elderly and hearing all about their lives growing up. After so many years doing this, I decided to become a nurse and enrolled at Northwest State Community College in Archbold Ohio in their Nursing program they held in a satellite office right in Van Wert. I successfully graduated the program as well as my boards on the first try. I got dual licensure in both Ohio and Indiana. After about 8 years working as a floor nurse in nursing homes, I had a dream of making a difference in places like that and the only way to do that would be to land a job in an executive position. I enrolled in my Master's degree program at St.Joseph's College in Standish Maine in Healthcare Administration taking online courses while working full-time. Sometimes, I thought I would lose my mind, but Everytime I would see a patient suffering with bed sores or other things I felt I could change if given the chance, just kept motivating me to keep going. I finally achieved my goal as well as having my Master's thesis published in a health magazine and given high honors for my grade. It was titled "Medical Marijuana in the Geriatric Population". Back then, it wasn't advocated the way it is now, so it felt good to get this kind of recognition. However, with all good things, they must come to an end. My health continued to deteriorate. The years working as an aide back before electric hoyers and the long 12-14 hour shifts took their toll. My lower back and bilateral knees finally gave out and I got to the point I couldn't stand up for longer than about 5 minutes before I had to sit down for 1-2 minutes. My job frowned on this as well as having to use a seated walker. I was eventually terminated from multiple jobs for insubordination for bringing my walker into work with me when told I couldn't have it on the floor. I finally said "Screw it!" I filed for disability and got it on the first try. Apparently the X-rays and MRI told the truth of the matter. So I am now retired but not able to enjoy it. December 3rd 2025, I just got left knee replacement surgery via the new Jiffy Knee technique! Best thing I ever did!! Cannot wait to get my right knee done now, hopefully by end of February or March. Then, I will only have to deal with my lower back not allowing me to stand up. But I shouldn't have to worry about my knees buckling at any given time without any notice and down I'd go. That is a big relief.

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