Betty Belle Porter

Betty Belle Porter, 89, died Wednesday, February 8, 2012, at Valley 4000, Woodside Village, in Grand Forks, ND. She was born April 19, 1922, in Normal, IL, the daughter of Frank L. and Lutie Belle (Denman) Irvin. Betty attended Normal public schools, graduating from Normal Community High School in 1940. She then went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics from Illinois State Normal University in 1944. After her graduation from college she taught home economics and science classes at Ellsworth High School in Ellsworth, IL, for one year before joining her husband in Moscow, ID, where he was stationed in the U.S. Army. Betty Belle Irvin married Charles Baddeley Porter on July 4, 1944, in Normal. Betty and Chuck were high school sweethearts who first met at the age of 14. Chuck preceded her in death on February 21, 2006. As she wished, Betty has been cremated and her family will gather this summer at the Denman Family farm in Carlock, IL, to scatter the ashes of Betty and Chuck together. No public service is planned. Also preceding her in death were her parents and brother, Otis (Bud) Denman Irvin. Betty was a life-long member of University Christian Church in Normal. She was active in many organizations, including Christian Women's Fellowship, History Club, and Ariel Club, a book club which has been in existence since 1892. She was a member of the McLean County Home Extension, the McLean County Historical Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She also served a term on the Bloomington YWCA Board. She enjoyed reading, history and travel. Betty and Chuck traveled to several European countries, Fiji, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, and throughout the United States after Chuck's retirement in 1979. They also spent many happy summers at their cabin on Gull Lake, near Brainerd, MN. Betty's greatest joys were her family, especially her granddaughter and great-grandchildren, and her many good friends. She was always kind and welcoming. To her, if you were a friend, you were family. Survivors include her two daughters, Janet (Jurgen) Suhr of Carlock, IL, and Barbara (Isaac) Schlosser of Grand Forks, ND; one granddaughter, Kori (Christopher) Kobel of Bloomington, IL; two great-grandchildren, Katie and Benjamin Kobel; three nieces, Susan (Stephen) Schwarten of Cambridge, MN, Carol (Thomas) Hupp of St. Charles, IL, and Mari Porter of Champaign, IL; and two nephews, Philip (Cindy) Porter of Lincoln, NE, and Thomas (Deborah) Porter of Aurora, IL. Betty's family wishes to extend its most heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Jonathon Berg and all the staff at Valley 4000, both at Wheatland Terrace (assisted living) and at Woodside Village (skilled care), for their devotion to her care in the last years of her life. They, too, were her family. Donations in memory of Betty Porter may be made to: The Charles Porter Scholarship for Leadership, Illinois State University Department of Technology, Campus Box 5100, Normal, IL, 61761, or to the Valley Memorial Foundation, 2900 14th Avenue South, Grand Forks, ND, 58201 (with a note directing funds to either Woodside Village or Wheatland Terrace).