Miriam R. Porter

Born December 14, 1930, she is the youngest of 10 children of the late Beza C. Dotterer and Florence E. Clymer.

A working girl in her young adult life, she retired to raise her two children and later returned to the workforce, where she retired from the human resources department of Bell Atlantic after many years. Strong-willed and independent, her early years endowed her with a powerful frugal bent and love of a good bargain, yet she was selfless, caring, and generous to family, friends, and community.

She was an early participant in the start of New Hope Ministries, where as a volunteer she helped provide food and assistance to those in need for more than 30 years.

She inherited a love for creative sewing from her mother, and for many years, until recently, she created and sewed twenty children’s quilts annually, which she donated to Ronald McDonald House. She was also a long-time host of the church quilting group, which made original, handmade quilts for babies.

She was passionate about gardening, wielding her green thumb over her flowers, fruits, and vegetables for hours daily. A Penn State football fan, for years she attended all the home games. She loved to travel, going the world over with her husband and friends, and in more recent years within the U.S. with her son and his wife. She loved to walk on the beach looking for shells, crafting wreaths and other creations from her findings; fittingly, her last trip was to Myrtle Beach in October, where she could be found on the beach each morning.

She is survived by her son, Robert A. Porter, Jr., daughter-in-law Kathy, and granddaughter Emily and her husband Neil Posillico of Huntington, N.Y.; and a sister Jane Hayes and a brother, Paul Dotterer. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband Robert A. Porter, daughter Melody, and siblings Dorothy, Earl, Lawrence, Elmer, Ray, Mary, and Ralph.

Friends will be received from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 17 at Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church, 300 East Simpson Street, Mechanicsburg. A memorial service will be held at 12:00 p.m. with the Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston officiating. Burial will be in Rolling Green Cemetery, Camp Hill.

Memorial contributions may be made in lieu of flowers to Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church.

Cremation Society of Pennsylvania is handling the arrangements.