Lydia Jefferson Porter

Lydia was born in 1933, raised in Wilson, North Carolina and was the oldest of 3 children. She attended Duke University, where she met her husband John Steele Porter Jr. of Jacksonville, Florida. She married John in 1956 and the couple moved to Long Beach, California for John's first deployment with the U S Navy. Their 1st child, John Steele Porter III, was born there in 1957. Their 2nd child, Robert Jefferson (Jeff) Porter, was born in 1959 in Wilson, while husband John was out to sea.

The young family moved to the Ortega neighborhood in Jacksonville in the early 1960's to be near John's family. John began his successful career in mechanical engineering. Lydia was a full-time mother to their 2 boys and over the next years became active and involved in all sorts of school, sports and social activities with her sons and with the network of friends she was developing. She also was the main operator of their sideline family business: 2 laundromats called "Podo's Wash and Dry". The family was active members of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Ortega.

In the early 70's, Lydia and John moved to Neptune Beach where they were to live out the rest of their lives. With her boys in high school, she took a full-time position with the State of Florida handling welfare cases. Wherever she lived, Lydia was active and engaged, making many, many friends. She was part of most every club and civic organization at the beach... Jax Beach Women's Club, Ribault Garden Club, Meals on Wheels Treasurer for 4 decades, First Christian Church in Neptune Beach, Church Women United... and naturally assumed leadership roles in all of them. She enjoyed her bridge group, her bunco group and her Lunch Bunch!

She lovingly shepherded her husband through the dementia that afflicted him after he retired, and that progressed until his death in 2010.

Lydia's passing is a heartbreak to her many, many friends and to her family. She is survived by her son John, his wife Kathy, their children Jessica and Sam, and by her son Jeff, his wife Deborah and their children Lena, Devin, Riley, Khuntia and Terah. By her her beloved sister Mabel and by her dear sister-in-law Wimpy, wife of her dearly missed brother Pinkie.

Lydia was especially devoted to and delighted in her grandkids, and was an awesome Aunt Lydia to her many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Most important of all, Lydia loved Jesus Christ and is loving Him face-to-face right now. So we rejoice as we mourn her absence from us.

The family will receive friends from 7-8:30pm, Thursday, Sept. 14th, at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 1701 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach, FL.

A Celebration of Lydia's life will be held Friday, Sept. 15th, at 12 noon,

at the First Christian Church of the Beaches, 2125 Ocean Front, Neptune Beach, FL.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Lydia's name may be made to First Coast Women's Services or First Christian Church of the Beaches.

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis