December 19, 1921 – January 24, 2020 – (age 98)
Mary Ellen Closner Porter, 98, passed away during an afternoon nap on January 24, 2020 at the Caribou Memorial Living Center in Soda Springs, Idaho.
She was born December 19, 1921 to William Henry and Lillian Orchard Closner in their home in Montpelier, Idaho. She spent the majority of her life either in Bear Lake or Caribou counties, attending school in Montpelier and graduating from Montpelier High School. She pursued her college education starting at Idaho State University and then at the University of Idaho, completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Her teaching career lasted 33 years, her first year at Sugar Salem Jr. High and the remaining years at Soda Springs Jr. High and High School where she taught Home Economics, English, Typing and supervised the drill team.
On June 22, 1946 she married Arthur Louis Skinner; they were divorced June 25, 1954. On August 16, 1954 she married her eternal companion, Angus LaDell Porter in the Salt Lake Temple. LaDell passed away on February 11, 1991 and Mary Ellen spent the last 29 years of her life looking forward to their happy reunion.
Aside from teaching, Mary Ellen’s interests included German Shepherds, especially her beloved “Teeha”, knitting, crocheting, tatting, reading, fishing, shooting guns, horses, snowmobiling, and hummingbirds. She was a sports enthusiast and loved attending events where her grandchildren participated.
In her later years she was attended to by all her children and visited by many of their children and families. Being from Soda Springs, her daughter Karen, granddaughter Lori Williams and great-granddaughter Aubrie Williams were able to provide extra care.
She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served in many callings, her favorite as a temple worker at the Logan Temple. She felt that family was precious and was very involved in family history work.
She was proceeded in death by her parents, husband LaDell, older brother Forest Henry Closner, younger sister Harriet Ann Closner Wuthrich, daughter-in-law Marcia Yvonne Porter and 5 grandchildren: Geri Adele Goodwin Howard, Cherie Janette Goodwin Wolf, Robert Stanley Goodwin Jr. and William “Bill” Henry Spencer, Coy Evert Porter.
Mary Ellen is survived by her 5 children, Marilyn Kay Spencer (Lloyd) of Idaho Falls, Carolyn Ann Pratt (Coy) of Preston, Karen Janet Ackley of Soda Springs, Louis Mitchell Porter (Dona) of Idaho Falls, Douglas LaDell Porter (Peggy) of Thatcher, 21 grandchildren, 61 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank the staff of Caribou Memorial Living Center for their close and tender attention and all who came to visit our mother.
Services will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 12:00 Noon at the Soda Springs 5th Ward Bailey Creek Building, 361 South 300 East, Soda Springs, Idaho. Family will visit with friends on Saturday from 10:00 – 11:30am at the church prior to services. Burial will be at the Montpelier Cemetery at 3:00pm.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at simsfh.com