Mary Ellen Porter

Mary Ellen Porter went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, June 18, 2024.

Visitation:  5pm to 7pm Tuesday, June 25^th at Lake Shore Funeral Home, Waco, Texas 

Funeral Service:  10am Wednesday, June 26^th at Lake Shore Funeral Home, Waco, Texas

Interment:  Hillcrest Cemetery, Marlin, Texas

Mary Ellen was born to Sylvester “Jug” Puterbaugh and Mary Jane Puterbaugh December 23, 1944, in Dayton, Ohio.

Mary Ellen spent her childhood helping her mother, who worked from home as a seamstress and tailor.  This formative experience set the stage for a later career as a seamstress and designer. She could create anything without a pattern.  People would describe what they wanted, Mary Ellen would draw it out, make her own pattern, then cut and sew it.  This skill helped her to secure a US Army contract to make and alter uniforms at Ft. Rucker, Alabama.  While at Fort Rucker she married Douglas Porter Jr, who was stationed at Rucker attending Warrant Officers’ Advanced Course. It was love at first sight and they married. The marriage would last for the next 42 years, 4 months and 18 days. They had a wonderful marriage raising their blended family as they traveled around the world during different duty assignments. They love to visit historical sights all over Europe and shop in all the factory stores and shops.

Wherever they were stationed Mary Ellen loved to work. She became a long-term substitute teacher in the states and worked three years for the DODDS school system as an elementary teacher. On the next tour Mary Ellen worked as a representative of the US Army’s CPO Management Employee Relations Board, solving labor disputes.

Mary Ellen loved children and taught Children’s Sunday School classes for years. She was a proponent of Vacation Bible School and actively worked the program each year. She helped design and make the church VBS decorations and always loved to do crafts with the children.  She loved to tell them about Jesus, always planting that seed in their minds.  Mary Ellen believed God put us on this earth so we could tell everyone about Jesus and to help those in need. She worked very hard to live as a good Christian example for not only her children but everyone. She lived out Acts1:8 and the Great Commission.

Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, Sylvester and Mary Jane Puterbaugh; her brother, Ron Puterbaugh; her sisters, Joyce Powell, Sharon Alsop and Patricia Garrett; and her son, Jesse Glenn King.

Mary Ellen is survived by her husband, Douglas Porter Jr.; daughters, Paula S. Graf (John), Becky Copeland (Roger), Tammy  Spruce (Bob); and son, Douglas Porter III (Heaven).

The family would like to thank Mercy House and their staff for taking care of Mary for the last few months of her life. Each and every one was so kind and loving. A special thank you to Harbor Hospice staff who was so attentive and helpful especially at the end. A personal  thank you to her nurse Kristina who stayed with us during the last day  and Chaplin Nilda who was a comfort.

Place of Service: Lake Shore Funeral Home , 5201 Steinbeck Bend; Waco, TX 76708