Eileen Porter

Eileen Porter passed away Tuesday, February 4, 2014 in her home after an extensive fight with cancer. With her during the final weeks were all of the family she held so dear, but particularly her daughter Beverly and son-in-law Ron who came from Bozeman and stayed with her the last few months as her health was failing. Funeral services will be held 11 am on Saturday, February 8, 2014 at OConnor Memorial Chapel. OConnor Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Eileen Porter was born August 26, 1927, in Wisbech, England. She was the first of four children to Ernest and Louisa Wabe. Mum was a child of 12 when the war started and a young lady of 18 at its end. After the war she worked for several years in London for the NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Force Institute) and met and married Robert Roe Porter, a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force stationed near Wisbech. Bev and Paul were born during this time in England, and Clint was born while stationed in Oklahoma. For Mum, happiness was seeing Oklahoma and the tornadoes in the rear-view mirror, and when Dad was assigned to Malmstrom, she fell in love with Montana and decided that this was where she wanted to raise her family. Throughout her adult life there were many memorable trips back to England to bring her children to visit her Mother, Father and brothers. Mum’s favorite times were friend and family gatherings in Great Falls and Bozeman that always started with a spot of tea and ended with something a bit stronger. She became “Mum” to many friends because of her wondrous capacity to make everyone feel welcome and she touched many people’s lives. She radiated kindness and an upbeat, positive outlook in everything she did, and instilled these traits in her family. Our hearts are broken to lose this magical woman, but we were truly blessed to have been fortunate enough to have had her in our lives. She was the heart and soul of our family. Survivors include her daughter Beverly (Ron) Thornton and their children Austin and Jenda; son Paul (Kolleen) Porter and their children Heather, Megan and Emma and great grandchildren Landen and Dawson Porter-Holmes; and son Clint (Kourtney) Porter. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert, her parents and three brothers: Colin, Noel and Trevor.