Catherine Ann Ditson Porter (Kay) passed away January 2, 2017 in her home at the age of 86. She was born May 22, 1930 in Joplin, MO to William Morgan Ditson and Margaret Helen George Ditson.
While attending Joplin high school Catherine took an active part in speech and journalism and was a member of the Joplin drum corp., the National Honor Society and Lambda Alpha Lambda Sorority.
From 1948 to 1952 Kay attended the University of Missouri, Columbia majoring in Home Economics with a B.S. degree. She was a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity and Phi Mu Scholastic Fraternity.
Kay married her childhood sweetheart, James Baxter Porter Jr. in 1951.
She served many community needs as President of Springfield Jaycee Wives, Preschool Section Chairman and then President of Sunshine School PTA. She was elected President of Springfield PTA Council at age 40. Kay was honored several times for her volunteer work: Mrs. Jaycee Wife of Missouri at age 35, Outstanding Young Women of Springfield in 1965, The Cable Award from Delta Gamma Fraternity in part due to her work with blind students at Delaware School, and the International Merit Award for redeveloping the ESO Reading Program of Missouri General Federation of Women's Clubs (GTWC).
Kay held the deepest sense of commitment to the Springfield Girls Club (later the Boys and Girls Club), working to help young girls reach their full potential. She served on the Board of Directors for more than 15 years (three years as President of the Board) in both fundraising and "hands on" projects with the girls at both the Kynion Club and the Mellers Club. For this dedication, Kay was awarded the Southwestern Bell Award for Adult Volunteer of Springfield in 1988 by the United Way of the Ozarks.
She continued working for children: better education, better health, wider exposure to the arts through such organizations as GFWC Sorosis of Springfield, P.E.O. Chapter FU, SMMA, and faithful membership at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church for over 60 years.
Playing golf, trips to the lake, entertaining friends and family were all special treats. Kay loved to cook and even wrote and had published a 300-page cookbook honoring the memory of her mother in 2001. When Jim retired in 1995 they had more time to travel and they took many exciting trips throughout the world.
Catherine is survived by her two children: James B. Porter III and wife Pamela and Elizabeth Ann and husband Larry Kim Rountree; grandchildren: Caleb Ryan Porter and wife Andrea; Abraham Seth Porter and wife Meagen; Elizabeth Jane Porter Cavenaugh and husband Joel; and Robert James Rountree. Eight great-grandchildren: Colin, Jake and Stella Porter; Monroe and Abraham II Porter; Willa and Eleanor Cavenaugh; and Emily Rountree. Catherine is also survived by a sister, Helen Lloyd Snoke and husband Ralph; nieces Deborah Forrest and husband Tom Scott and Diane Elizabeth Kliebenstein and late husband Gary; cousin Jack George and his adult children Jim, Janene, Julie and John.
She is preceded in death by her parents Bill and Margaret Ditson; and husband, Jim.
Catherine chose to be cremated with her final resting place at Missouri Veterans Cemetery in South Springfield.
Published in the News-Leader Jan. 4, 2017
While attending Joplin high school Catherine took an active part in speech and journalism and was a member of the Joplin drum corp., the National Honor Society and Lambda Alpha Lambda Sorority.
From 1948 to 1952 Kay attended the University of Missouri, Columbia majoring in Home Economics with a B.S. degree. She was a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity and Phi Mu Scholastic Fraternity.
Kay married her childhood sweetheart, James Baxter Porter Jr. in 1951.
She served many community needs as President of Springfield Jaycee Wives, Preschool Section Chairman and then President of Sunshine School PTA. She was elected President of Springfield PTA Council at age 40. Kay was honored several times for her volunteer work: Mrs. Jaycee Wife of Missouri at age 35, Outstanding Young Women of Springfield in 1965, The Cable Award from Delta Gamma Fraternity in part due to her work with blind students at Delaware School, and the International Merit Award for redeveloping the ESO Reading Program of Missouri General Federation of Women's Clubs (GTWC).
Kay held the deepest sense of commitment to the Springfield Girls Club (later the Boys and Girls Club), working to help young girls reach their full potential. She served on the Board of Directors for more than 15 years (three years as President of the Board) in both fundraising and "hands on" projects with the girls at both the Kynion Club and the Mellers Club. For this dedication, Kay was awarded the Southwestern Bell Award for Adult Volunteer of Springfield in 1988 by the United Way of the Ozarks.
She continued working for children: better education, better health, wider exposure to the arts through such organizations as GFWC Sorosis of Springfield, P.E.O. Chapter FU, SMMA, and faithful membership at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church for over 60 years.
Playing golf, trips to the lake, entertaining friends and family were all special treats. Kay loved to cook and even wrote and had published a 300-page cookbook honoring the memory of her mother in 2001. When Jim retired in 1995 they had more time to travel and they took many exciting trips throughout the world.
Catherine is survived by her two children: James B. Porter III and wife Pamela and Elizabeth Ann and husband Larry Kim Rountree; grandchildren: Caleb Ryan Porter and wife Andrea; Abraham Seth Porter and wife Meagen; Elizabeth Jane Porter Cavenaugh and husband Joel; and Robert James Rountree. Eight great-grandchildren: Colin, Jake and Stella Porter; Monroe and Abraham II Porter; Willa and Eleanor Cavenaugh; and Emily Rountree. Catherine is also survived by a sister, Helen Lloyd Snoke and husband Ralph; nieces Deborah Forrest and husband Tom Scott and Diane Elizabeth Kliebenstein and late husband Gary; cousin Jack George and his adult children Jim, Janene, Julie and John.
She is preceded in death by her parents Bill and Margaret Ditson; and husband, Jim.
Catherine chose to be cremated with her final resting place at Missouri Veterans Cemetery in South Springfield.
Published in the News-Leader Jan. 4, 2017
Catherine Ann Ditson Porter (Kay) passed away January 2, 2017 in her home at the age of 86. She was born May 22, 1930 in Joplin, MO to William Morgan Ditson and Margaret Helen George Ditson.
While attending Joplin high school Catherine took an active part in speech and journalism and was a member of the Joplin drum corp., the National Honor Society and Lambda Alpha Lambda Sorority.
From 1948 to 1952 Kay attended the University of Missouri, Columbia majoring in Home Economics with a B.S. degree. She was a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity and Phi Mu Scholastic Fraternity.
Kay married her childhood sweetheart, James Baxter Porter Jr. in 1951.
She served many community needs as President of Springfield Jaycee Wives, Preschool Section Chairman and then President of Sunshine School PTA. She was elected President of Springfield PTA Council at age 40. Kay was honored several times for her volunteer work: Mrs. Jaycee Wife of Missouri at age 35, Outstanding Young Women of Springfield in 1965, The Cable Award from Delta Gamma Fraternity in part due to her work with blind students at Delaware School, and the International Merit Award for redeveloping the ESO Reading Program of Missouri General Federation of Women's Clubs (GTWC).
Kay held the deepest sense of commitment to the Springfield Girls Club (later the Boys and Girls Club), working to help young girls reach their full potential. She served on the Board of Directors for more than 15 years (three years as President of the Board) in both fundraising and "hands on" projects with the girls at both the Kynion Club and the Mellers Club. For this dedication, Kay was awarded the Southwestern Bell Award for Adult Volunteer of Springfield in 1988 by the United Way of the Ozarks.
She continued working for children: better education, better health, wider exposure to the arts through such organizations as GFWC Sorosis of Springfield, P.E.O. Chapter FU, SMMA, and faithful membership at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church for over 60 years.
Playing golf, trips to the lake, entertaining friends and family were all special treats. Kay loved to cook and even wrote and had published a 300-page cookbook honoring the memory of her mother in 2001. When Jim retired in 1995 they had more time to travel and they took many exciting trips throughout the world.
Catherine is survived by her two children: James B. Porter III and wife Pamela and Elizabeth Ann and husband Larry Kim Rountree; grandchildren: Caleb Ryan Porter and wife Andrea; Abraham Seth Porter and wife Meagen; Elizabeth Jane Porter Cavenaugh and husband Joel; and Robert James Rountree. Eight great-grandchildren: Colin, Jake and Stella Porter; Monroe and Abraham II Porter; Willa and Eleanor Cavenaugh; and Emily Rountree. Catherine is also survived by a sister, Helen Lloyd Snoke and husband Ralph; nieces Deborah Forrest and husband Tom Scott and Diane Elizabeth Kliebenstein and late husband Gary; cousin Jack George and his adult children Jim, Janene, Julie and John.
She is preceded in death by her parents Bill and Margaret Ditson; and husband, Jim.
Catherine chose to be cremated with her final resting place at Missouri Veterans Cemetery in South Springfield.
Published in the News-Leader Jan. 4, 2017
While attending Joplin high school Catherine took an active part in speech and journalism and was a member of the Joplin drum corp., the National Honor Society and Lambda Alpha Lambda Sorority.
From 1948 to 1952 Kay attended the University of Missouri, Columbia majoring in Home Economics with a B.S. degree. She was a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity and Phi Mu Scholastic Fraternity.
Kay married her childhood sweetheart, James Baxter Porter Jr. in 1951.
She served many community needs as President of Springfield Jaycee Wives, Preschool Section Chairman and then President of Sunshine School PTA. She was elected President of Springfield PTA Council at age 40. Kay was honored several times for her volunteer work: Mrs. Jaycee Wife of Missouri at age 35, Outstanding Young Women of Springfield in 1965, The Cable Award from Delta Gamma Fraternity in part due to her work with blind students at Delaware School, and the International Merit Award for redeveloping the ESO Reading Program of Missouri General Federation of Women's Clubs (GTWC).
Kay held the deepest sense of commitment to the Springfield Girls Club (later the Boys and Girls Club), working to help young girls reach their full potential. She served on the Board of Directors for more than 15 years (three years as President of the Board) in both fundraising and "hands on" projects with the girls at both the Kynion Club and the Mellers Club. For this dedication, Kay was awarded the Southwestern Bell Award for Adult Volunteer of Springfield in 1988 by the United Way of the Ozarks.
She continued working for children: better education, better health, wider exposure to the arts through such organizations as GFWC Sorosis of Springfield, P.E.O. Chapter FU, SMMA, and faithful membership at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church for over 60 years.
Playing golf, trips to the lake, entertaining friends and family were all special treats. Kay loved to cook and even wrote and had published a 300-page cookbook honoring the memory of her mother in 2001. When Jim retired in 1995 they had more time to travel and they took many exciting trips throughout the world.
Catherine is survived by her two children: James B. Porter III and wife Pamela and Elizabeth Ann and husband Larry Kim Rountree; grandchildren: Caleb Ryan Porter and wife Andrea; Abraham Seth Porter and wife Meagen; Elizabeth Jane Porter Cavenaugh and husband Joel; and Robert James Rountree. Eight great-grandchildren: Colin, Jake and Stella Porter; Monroe and Abraham II Porter; Willa and Eleanor Cavenaugh; and Emily Rountree. Catherine is also survived by a sister, Helen Lloyd Snoke and husband Ralph; nieces Deborah Forrest and husband Tom Scott and Diane Elizabeth Kliebenstein and late husband Gary; cousin Jack George and his adult children Jim, Janene, Julie and John.
She is preceded in death by her parents Bill and Margaret Ditson; and husband, Jim.
Catherine chose to be cremated with her final resting place at Missouri Veterans Cemetery in South Springfield.
Published in the News-Leader Jan. 4, 2017
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