She is survived by her sons, Ray and wife, Gail and Rickey and wife, Valorie as well as her beloved grandchildren, Chad, 33, Madeline, 26, Dakota, 20 and numerous nieces and nephews. Jean was preceded in death by her loving husband of 63 years, Calvin R. Porter, her parents, William and Mary, and her sisters, Ester and Elizabeth and her brother W.J.
Jean was born in Sanford, North Carolina. She met her husband, Calvin while he was in the paratroopers during World War II. He climbed up a ladder and peeked in a window, where Jean was working as a telephone operator in North Carolina Apparently, she liked the surprise as she decided to marry him on December 20, 1947. They enjoyed a lifetime of laughs and surprises. They moved to Kansas City in 1948 the same year they started their family with the birth of Ray in December. They would wait 13 years before having their second son, Rick in December of 1961. During those years they would build together a series of successful businesses including Porter's Ready Built Tow Trucks. This business was once among the largest manufacturer of auto recovery equipment in the Midwest and finally CRPB, a commercial Real Estate Firm.
In all of these business ventures Jean kept the books and ran the day to day operations of the businesses, as well as the home and household. She always put family before her own wants and needs. She instilled in her sons a respect and appreciation of strong willed and confident women, a love of reading and knowledge, and a love for travel and the outdoors. Jean and Calvin took their family with them on adventures in and out of the continental United States, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Throughout her life she strove to help others, from children with disabilities, friends and family in need, driving the elderly to doctor appointments, and being Calvin's caregiver after his stroke until his death. Jean was a wonderful mother, and an amazing woman. She will be greatly missed by family, friends and those she helped. She will live on in our hearts forever.
