Catherine T. Porter

Catherine “Tee” Hill Tift Porter, daughter of Catherine Hill Terrell and Thomas Willingham Tift, granddaughter of Henry Harding Tift, founder of Tifton, GA, great-niece of Nelson Tift, founder of Albany, GA, great-niece of Joseph Merriweather Terrell, Governor of GA, granddaughter of Bessie Willingham Tift, honoree in 2024 as a Georgia Woman of Achievement for her role in saving Bessie Tift College, now part of Mercer University. She passed peacefully at her home on August 12, 2024 at age 102.

Born in Atlanta July 15, 1922, Mrs. Porter was an honor student and May Queen at Washington Seminary High School in Atlanta, and cum laude graduate and May Queen of Sweet Briar College, 1944.

In 1944 she married James Tinsley Porter, Sr. She was a member of North Avenue Presbyterian Church since 1944, where she taught Sunday School and was a member of the Church Circle.

Mrs. Porter was a member of the Board of Directors of Tiftona and Piedmont Cotton Mills, and she was an award-winning agent for ten years at Harry Norman Realty.

Mrs. Porter served as President of the Habersham Garden Club, Chairman of the Board of the Cerebral Palsy Center (Fraser Center) and member of Board of Trustees for the Children’s Rehabilitation Center. She also was a member of the Atlanta Debutante Club and the Junior League of Atlanta.

Mrs. Porter received the ultimate accolade of the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Georgia by being elected to the Role of Honor. She was a genealogist and Town Chair of the Atlanta Town Committee of the NSCDA from 1983-1985. She was also a member of the Huguenot Society and the Mayflower Society. Mrs. Porter was an avid tennis player, and a member of the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association until age seventy.

Mrs. Porter was pre-deceased by her husband, James T. Porter, Sr. Survivors include her five children: Catherine T. Porter of Washington, DC (James Fuller), Pattie Porter Firestone of Santa Barbara, CA (Charles Firestone), James T. Porter, Jr. of Atlanta (Celeste Burdell Porter), Thomas T. Porter of Cartersville, GA (Beth Neel Porter), Russell T. Porter of Bethesda, MD (Rebecca Houston), 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be held Saturday August 17, at 11 am at North Avenue Presbyterian Church, 607 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 with Reception following.

In lieu of flowers please send a donation to The North Avenue Presbyterian Church or The Frasier Center or a charity of your choice. H.M. Patterson & Sons - Oglethorpe Hill Chapel is in charge of arrangements.