In Memoriam - Betty Porter

Betty Jean (Lathrop) Porter

Born: November 24, 1933, Wayne County, IL

Died: November 4, 2020, Lookout Mountain, GA

Buried: The National Cemetery, Chattanooga, TN

Married: June 19, 1955, Eshmal Porter, Wayne City, Wayne Co., IL 

Children:

Douglas md. 1) Suzanne Schwartz & 2) Willa Beach, no children

Denise md. 1) John Soltau & 2) Dave Baker

• Noah Soltau md. (--?--)
• Eloisa

David md. Karen DeVault

• Lindsay
• Ethan md. Danielle (--?--)
• Andrew

Ahnentafel:

1. Betty Lathrop md. Eshmal Porter

2. Albert Lathrop

3. Grace Butler

Betty Jean Lathrop Porter, 86, Formerly of Wayne City Dies, Wayne County Press, Nov. 23, 2020:

Betty Jean Lathrop Porter, 86, formerly of Wayne of Wayne City, passed away in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, only two weeks following the death of her sister, Bonnie Holler of Fairfield, on Oct. 21, 2020. 

Betty had been a teacher at Pinckneyville High School in the Commerce Department for two years prior to her marriage.

After private graveside services for Betty on Nov. 10, she was laid to rest next to her husband in The National Cemetery in Chattanooga, Tenn. 

Betty was born on Nov. 24, 1933, in rural Wayne City to the late Albert and Grace Butler Lathrop. She was married to Eshmal Porter on June 19, 1955. They lived and worked most of their married life in St. Louis. He preceded her in death on April 13, 2018.  

After graduating from Scrub Hill Grade School, Betty went on to graduate from Wayne City High School with the Class of 1949 at age 15 and from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. 

Betty is survived by her three children: Douglas Porter of Vermont, Denise Porter-Baker of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and David Porter of Pennsylvania; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one sister Barbara Bolton of Fairfield; brothers-in-law Eugene (Vickie) Porter of Wayne City and Ivan Holler of Fairfield; sister-in-law Trixie (Bill) Lathrop of Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband; two sisters, Bonnie Holler and Dorothy Utley; three brothers, Bob Lathrop, Bill Lathrop and Jim Lathrop; and sister-in-law Doretta Lathrop.

[Doretta Lathrop died Nov. 21, 2020, however I believe the press put it this way as the obituary ran in the November 23rd issue after she had died.]

When I was starting out in the world, my first job was in St. Louis.  For the first several weeks of that job I spent several weeks in Betty & Eshmal's house during the week and drove home for the weekends until I could find an apartment I could afford.  They were gracious hosts to a stupid kid.  Betty worked for a seminary as an executive secretary. She could spot a typo a mile away and her work was always perfect. 

Revised 12/10/2020