Helen Porter

Helen M. Porter, 83, of Cherryvale died at 8:35 A.M. Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at her home surrounded by family. Celebration of life services will be held 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 28, 2011 at the Cherryvale Presbyterian Church under the direction of Potts Chapel of Cherryvale. The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Thursday, October 27, 2011 at the Cherryvale Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers memorial remembrances are suggested to the Cherryvale Presbyterian Church and they may left at Potts Chapel of Cherryvale or mailed to P.O. Box 801, Independence, Kansas 67301. Helen Marie Porter was born July 28, 1928 at Parsons, Kansas the daughter of Allen M. Payne and Thelma H. Hale Payne. She graduated from Ottawa High School. After high school she attended Secretarial College in Topeka, Kansas and later worked as a PBX Operator for the Santa Fe Railroad in Fort Madison, Iowa, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Topeka, Kansas, Kansas City and Chanute, Kansas where she met her husband Tom. On April 15, 1949 she was united in marriage to Thomas J. Porter in a chapel at the Chapman Hotel in Hollywood, California on the radio program Bride and Groom. She attended Independence Community College and went on to Kansas State Teachers College now known as Pittsburg State University graduating in 1969. She started teaching in Cherryvale and went back to college and received her EDS Education Specialist degree from Pittsburg State University. Later she worked as a School Psychologist for TriCounty Special Education in Independence, serving schools in Neodesha, Fredonia, Parsons and Cherryvale. She retired in 1994. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, KNEA, and many various organizations in Southeast Kansas. She played trumpet in the MidContinent Band for many summers and was a recipient of the Kansas and National Master Teacher awards. Survivors include husband Tom of the home, two daughters: Thelma Diane Mahaffey of Cherryvale, Kansas and Peggy Ann Ostrom of Chanute, Kansas two sons: Steven Lee Jordan Porter of Cherokee, Kansas and James E. Wilson of Longmont, Colorado 11 grandchildren: T.J. Mahaffey, Jon Thomas Wheatley, Joshua L. Wheatley, Nathanael R. Wheatley, Michael Ostrom Jr., Jessica Ostrom, Thomas Z.J. Porter, Steven W.J. Porter, Caleb A.J. Porter, Jim Wilson Jr., Travis Wilson and 9 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Deania Marie Wheatley, one sister, Peggy Conyne and one brother, John Preston J.P. Feighner.