When he came home, Sayre found a career as a civil engineer in Pennsylvania. One of the projects he worked on was the construction of the Walt Whitman Bridge in Philadelphia, one of the largest bridges on the East Coast. 

It was during this time he met and married his wife, Jane. In 1960, the two decided to go back to Sayre’s roots. 

It was a herd of 20 commercial Angus cattle, one registered bull and four registered heifers that started Waffle Hill Farm. As the operation grew, Sayre spent many weekends at National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) and 4-H events with his children, Lawrie, Nancy Ann, Sally and Ned. 

The luckiest man on earth — having a supportive wife and family and doing what I enjoy, raising Angus.” — Lawrason Sayre

Performance testing and enrollment in the Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR^®) helped Sayre and his sons grow the operation to a herd of 300 registered cattle. His daughter, Nancy Ann, also played a role, introducing her father to New Zealand’s grazing management strategies when he visited her in 1986. 

Sustainability and land preservation became pillars of Sayre’s life, and he was recognized at the local, regional and national levels for all his work. But for the cattleman, it was never about the recognition. 

With a servant’s heart, Sayre found himself on the American Angus Association Board of Directors serving as president in 1998.

“The opportunity to meet and work with so many of these good people has been a very rewarding experience,” Sayre said in that same interview. “I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to dedicate their time, effort and experience toward helping others ‘make it a better mouse trap.’” 

While his legacy will live on, Sayre’s caring and dedicated spirit will be missed by many. He joins his wife, Jane; son, Edwin; parents, Marie and Robert; brother, Robert; and sister, Harriet, in Heaven. 

His stories will be carried on by those he leaves behind: children, Lawrason (Elizabeth), Nancy Ann (Michael), and Sally (Don); grandchildren; great-grandchildren; many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and countless friends who felt like family.