Mary Elizabeth Porter

Mary was a graduate of College High School, class of 1947, in Bartlesville, OK. She often shared stories with her family of growing up in Bartlesville on Tuxedo Road with her friends and younger sister Doris.

Mary’s love and passion for life was in her role as daughter, wife of Aaron D. Porter, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and homemaker. Mary enjoyed antiques, toll painting, hand-crafts, and gardening. Mary and A.D., a longtime employee of Cities Service Pipeline, enjoyed creating loving homes in Emporia, KS; Oklahoma City, OK; Odessa, TX; Lake Charles, LA and Tulsa, OK. She was a longtime member of Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa, OK. While in Tulsa she was an active member of Tulsa New Towners and Green Country Women’s Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband A.D. Porter and her parents James and Priscilla Copenhaver.

Mary is survived by three daughters and one son: daughter Kathy Porter Schwartzenburg and husband Clifford of Baton Rouge, LA; son Michael A. Porter and wife Suzanne of Houston, TX; daughter Kerry Porter White and husband Bill of Ridgeland, MS; and daughter Kelly Porter McLean and husband Alan of Kingwood, TX; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, one sister Doris Copenhaver Myers and husband Don of Conroe, TX.

For the last seven years, Mary has been a resident of Eagle’s Trace Retirement Community in Houston, TX where she loved pictures, stories and visits from her 10 grandchildren: Cheree Schwartzenburg Arabie, Jay White, Christopher Schwartzenburg, Erin White Norcross, Holly Porter Rigoulot, Michael Schwartzenburg, Katey Porter Baumgarten, Austin McLean, Aaron Porter, and Madeline Porter. The past five years were a very special blessing for Mary as she enjoyed her 11 great-grandchildren: Caroline, Adeline, Porter, Luke, Hayes, Will, Jude, Emily, Elise, Hampton and Samantha.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 at 10 a.m. at Stumpff Funeral Home 1600 SE Washington Blvd. Bartlesville, OK 74006. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery; 4200 Nowata Rd. Bartlesville, OK 74003.

The family thanks all the friends and care-givers who enriched her life at Eagle’s Trace.

Memorial donations can be made in the name of Mary E. Porter to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Habitat for Humanity.