Connie Porter
Connie Marie (Anthony) Porter, 72, passed peacefully at home in Stigler, Oklahoma on October 7, 2021, following a sudden cancer diagnosis.
She was born on June 17, 1949, in Memphis, Texas to Conley Scott and Frankie Marie (Armstrong) Anthony, and grew up in Ventura County, California where she attended school and met the love of her life, Larry Porter, at the age of 19. After marrying and having three children, Larry and Connie moved their family to Larry’s native Oklahoma where Connie spent her days as a homemaker, caregiver, and proud Mother, Grandma, and Gigima.
She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Larry, of the home; son, Tony Porter and wife Cindye, of Broken Arrow, OK; son, Trevor Porter and wife Laurie, of Keota, OK; daughter, Tammy Porter and partner Ty Robichaux, of Los Angeles, CA; bonus daughter, Nikki Sharp and husband Carl, of Stigler, OK; brother, Danny Anthony and wife Karen, of Plymouth, MN; sister, Vicki Littlejohn and husband Michael, of Ojai, CA; sister, Regina Casaday and husband Rick, of Rockwall, TX; three grandchildren, Christopher Porter and partner Kayla, Hunter Porter and fiancé Rachel, and Shannon Porter and partner Cody; and two bonus grandchildren, Daelyn Smith and Darin Sharp.
She is also survived by her proudest joys, her two great-granddaughters, Haley and Avery Porter, as well as a number of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Elvis Anthony; her in-laws, Ray and Margaret Porter; her brother-in-law, Charlie Porter; and her son-in-law, Mike Phillips.
Connie graduated from Nordhoff High School in Ojai, CA, and attended beauty school in Oxnard, CA. Her greatest accomplishment was raising her family, but she also spent decades as a caregiver to many in the community. She babysat some very special children in Stigler (she so loved Roni, Brad, Blaine, Blair, and Taylor, and took pride in watching them grow into adulthood). She served as a housekeeper at the Stigler Nursing Home where she found pleasure in interacting with the residents. She was a caregiver for clients of KI BOIS Developmental Disabilities program and was a cook for KI BOIS Head Start program, where she delighted in her role as “Miss Connie” and adored nurturing all of the children over the years.
At her core, Connie was a selfless woman with a heart of gold. She never met a stranger and loved sharing her life story and bragging about her family with anyone that would listen. She exemplified love and compassion and will be missed greatly by those she leaves behind.
There will be a graveside memorial service on Saturday, October 16th at 10:00 a.m. at Miner’s Cemetery in McCurtain, OK under the direction of Mallory-Martin Funeral Home. The family respectfully requests that attendees wear masks to honor Connie’s wishes.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice in Connie’s name.