Clarissa Collier Porter

Clarissa Marie Collier (“Cliss”) was born in Washington, DC on September 26, 2915 to John Collier and Anna Donaldson Collier. John Collier was a Chief Postal Inspector with the United States Post Office; and Cliss and her older sister Helen grew up in a row house at 13th and Upshur Streets in Northwest Washington, DC.

Cliss was a stunningly beautiful, chestnut haired young woman, who was also brilliant, graduating at the age of 17 as Valedictorian of her class at old Central High School (now Cardoza High School) in Washington, DC. Cliss then attended a local business school where she excelled in accounting, and then joined United Clay Company, a very successful brick manufacturing company in Washington, DC, as corporate Controller and personal assistant to E. Taylor Chewning, Founder and Owner of United Clay.

Cliss met and married Stephen Owens Porter (“Steve”) on November 1, 1933 at a Methodist Church in Georgetown. They then lived for a number of years on the Virginia side of the Potomac. Cliss and Steve then built the family home on Greenvale Street, in the Barnaby Woods section of Northwest Washington in 1946, where Cliss remained for the rest of her life. Cliss and Steve had four sons:

 Stephen Owens Porter, Jr., born in 1943, who died tragically of meningitis at the age of 2½;

 John Collier Porter, born in 1945;

 Robert Clyde Porter II, born in 1947; and

 Stephen Thomas Porter, II, born in 1951.

Cliss and Steve became an active part of the church community at Chevy Chase United Methodist Church, where Cliss served, for many years, as Treasurer. Cliss was active in her community; including active membership in Ki-Wives, and also enjoyed golf and bowling at Congressional Country Club, where Cliss remained an active member until her recent passing.

Cliss lost Steve to cancer in 1983, and Cliss spent her last 30 years alone – but far from lonely -- and she is survived by a large, extended family of children (three), grandchildren (twelve), and great-grandchildren (ten – so far).

Clarissa Marie Collier Porter enjoyed a full life, loved – and now missed -- by many. One of her strongest wishes was that she remain her beloved home that she and Steve had built until her final moments; and she succeeded in that, as she succeeded in so much of her life.