1923
Helen
2020
Helen L. Porter
November 16, 1923 — March 17, 2020
Helen L. Porter, widow of the late Seymour Porter of Seneca, passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at her residence in Seneca. She was 96 years young. She was the eldest daughter of five girls born to the late Frank McDaniel and Dora McDaniel Reddin in November 1923 in Binger, OK.
She and Seymour married on March 19, 1945, and they were married for 63 years until his death in February 2009. They had twins, a son and a daughter, from their marriage.
She was a member of Clemson United Methodist Church since August 1955 when she and her husband and children moved to Clemson from Oklahoma. She was a faithful member of the church, and she continued to worship with the congregation even after Seymour's death until she was unable to attend services regularly due to her health.
She and Seymour learned to square dance in their 50's. Even though both of them were working full-time jobs, they still made time to square dance five to six nights a week. Their love of square dancing allowed them to travel all over the country and make many lasting friendships. They were members of the Pacesetters of Anderson for over 30 years, and they were also members of the Currahee Squares of Toccoa, GA, for many years as well. Helen danced until she was 88 when she finally had to quit due to health problems. She still went to their Anderson club every week for over six years even though she could no longer dance. However, she enjoyed the fellowship so much because it kept her mind and spirit young and strong for those last six years that even though she could no longer dance, she refused to quit going.
She is survived by her oldest child, Deana Bowden of the home, one grandson, Chris Bowden of Easley, and her 93 years young middle sister, Mary Jaynes, widow of the late Clyde Jaynes of Texarkana, TX, plus many nieces and nephews residing in CA, OK, and TX.
She was predeceased by her husband, Seymour, her son, Donald Porter of Pendleton, three of her sisters and their husbands as follows: Judy and Cecil Morris of Modesto, CA, Alice and James Bible of Reno, NV, and Joella and Doyle Hamett of Oklahoma City, OK.
The family would like to acknowledge and personally thank the following staff with hospice for all the love and support they showed to Mrs. Porter and her family members in the last 14 months of her life: her CNA Presley, her nurse Bridget, her social worker Robin, and Stephen, the chaplain who ministered to her spiritual needs. Mrs. Porter appreciated and looked forward to each and every one of their visits.
The family would also like to personally thank Ron Flory, a square dancer, for the love, friendship and faithful visits to keep Miss Helen up-to-date on dances and callers in the square dance world. The time he took out of his life to share square dance news with her was priceless to her and her family because it allowed her to live vicariously through another's stories and life.
The family also wants to acknowledge a few special people who gave a lot of comfort, support and prayers to them and Miss Helen during a very trying time in their lives: Willis, Weezie, Cooley, Marian and a very special sister-by-another-mother, Donna Jo. Without your love, prayers and support, the family could not have survived the trying times at the end of Miss Helen's life.
In honor of Miss Helen, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider an act of charity and love instead. A few suggestions include giving a few hours of your time to volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen, or reading to an elderly person who no longer can do that for themselves. Due to the family's personal experience, another suggestion includes sitting with an elderly person to help relieve a family member/caregiver so that they can run errands, make a grocery store run, or just take a long bath to revive their body and spirit. This is more valuable than you can imagine to help the caretaker continue taking care of their loved one. This small charitable act is amazingly priceless to a stressed family member/caretaker and will be more rewarding to you than you can possibly imagine. Volunteers are always in short supply, and they are needed by a lot of organizations from hospices to retirement homes.
Private graveside services for Mrs. Porter were held Saturday, March 21, 2020.
She and Seymour married on March 19, 1945, and they were married for 63 years until his death in February 2009. They had twins, a son and a daughter, from their marriage.
She was a member of Clemson United Methodist Church since August 1955 when she and her husband and children moved to Clemson from Oklahoma. She was a faithful member of the church, and she continued to worship with the congregation even after Seymour's death until she was unable to attend services regularly due to her health.
She and Seymour learned to square dance in their 50's. Even though both of them were working full-time jobs, they still made time to square dance five to six nights a week. Their love of square dancing allowed them to travel all over the country and make many lasting friendships. They were members of the Pacesetters of Anderson for over 30 years, and they were also members of the Currahee Squares of Toccoa, GA, for many years as well. Helen danced until she was 88 when she finally had to quit due to health problems. She still went to their Anderson club every week for over six years even though she could no longer dance. However, she enjoyed the fellowship so much because it kept her mind and spirit young and strong for those last six years that even though she could no longer dance, she refused to quit going.
She is survived by her oldest child, Deana Bowden of the home, one grandson, Chris Bowden of Easley, and her 93 years young middle sister, Mary Jaynes, widow of the late Clyde Jaynes of Texarkana, TX, plus many nieces and nephews residing in CA, OK, and TX.
She was predeceased by her husband, Seymour, her son, Donald Porter of Pendleton, three of her sisters and their husbands as follows: Judy and Cecil Morris of Modesto, CA, Alice and James Bible of Reno, NV, and Joella and Doyle Hamett of Oklahoma City, OK.
The family would like to acknowledge and personally thank the following staff with hospice for all the love and support they showed to Mrs. Porter and her family members in the last 14 months of her life: her CNA Presley, her nurse Bridget, her social worker Robin, and Stephen, the chaplain who ministered to her spiritual needs. Mrs. Porter appreciated and looked forward to each and every one of their visits.
The family would also like to personally thank Ron Flory, a square dancer, for the love, friendship and faithful visits to keep Miss Helen up-to-date on dances and callers in the square dance world. The time he took out of his life to share square dance news with her was priceless to her and her family because it allowed her to live vicariously through another's stories and life.
The family also wants to acknowledge a few special people who gave a lot of comfort, support and prayers to them and Miss Helen during a very trying time in their lives: Willis, Weezie, Cooley, Marian and a very special sister-by-another-mother, Donna Jo. Without your love, prayers and support, the family could not have survived the trying times at the end of Miss Helen's life.
In honor of Miss Helen, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider an act of charity and love instead. A few suggestions include giving a few hours of your time to volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen, or reading to an elderly person who no longer can do that for themselves. Due to the family's personal experience, another suggestion includes sitting with an elderly person to help relieve a family member/caregiver so that they can run errands, make a grocery store run, or just take a long bath to revive their body and spirit. This is more valuable than you can imagine to help the caretaker continue taking care of their loved one. This small charitable act is amazingly priceless to a stressed family member/caretaker and will be more rewarding to you than you can possibly imagine. Volunteers are always in short supply, and they are needed by a lot of organizations from hospices to retirement homes.
Private graveside services for Mrs. Porter were held Saturday, March 21, 2020.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Helen L. Porter, please visit our flower store.
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