Dorothy Porter

Dorothy Porter

2/4/1933 – 2/26/2023

“Dort” was born in Wilmot, South Dakota, the youngest daughter of Russell and Agnes Jorgensen. She experienced the hardships of the dust bowl at a young age and at 6 years old moved with her mother and older brother Bill and sister Norma to Davenport Iowa to join her father, aunts and uncles in search of a better life. She graduated from Davenport High School and was an active member of the debate team and drama club.  She attended Monmouth College before her father tragically died of a heart attack and she returned home to care for her mother. Six years later, Dort moved to San Francisco in search of adventure and saved enough money to take the QE2 with girlfriends to Europe.

Dort returned to Davenport a month later and was set up on a blind date with Robert Porter – ‘the most handsome man I ever met’.   In 1958, Dort married Robert “Bob” Porter after a whirlwind 6 week courtship and started their adventurous 60 year life together.

Dort worked as a secretary in numerous industries and nonprofits and excelled at organizational development. She moved her family to Sierra Vista Arizona, Okinawa Japan and back to Iowa as the wife and life partner of a Government Civil Servant.  Before retiring to Sun Lakes, Arizona, she and Bob completed a 6-year tour of Germany, stationed at Grafenwoehr, where they travelled extensively and made many lifelong friends.

Her love of animals was well known, and she had many pets throughout her life. Dort was an artist and was always picking up a new expression, be it ceramics, sewing her children’s clothes, creating slip covers for the furniture, gardening and flower arrangement, painting and intricate needlework. Well into their 70’s, she and Bob took to the road, displaying and selling their unique gourd creations.

Dort loved her family, and nothing made her happier than spending time with a loved one.  She travelled well into her 80’s visiting both friends and family.

She is pre-deceased by her husband, her youngest daughter Amy, great granddaughter Carlie, brother Bill and sister Marjory.  Surviving members of her family include her beloved sister Norma; daughters, Beth and Lynn, son Terry, and their partners William, Mike, and Reeda; grandchildren, Lorien, Lindsay, Lydia, Taylor, Rachael, Cali, Elizabeth Zach and Aiden; and great grandchildren Ian, Hayden, Zelda, Nehemiah and Khloe. She was proud to be an auntie and cousin to numerous people, as well as a good friend to all who were fortunate enough to meet her.

Dort died peacefully… her beautiful and feisty spirit lives on in all who knew her. Memorials can be made in her name to the National ASPCA or the Ramsay Canyon Preserve Stewardship Endowment. (www.nature.org/arizona)