Helen Herrmann Porter, 97, of Memphis, Tennessee, went to be with the Lord October 16, 2019, surrounded by family.
She was born March 18, 1922, in Memphis, TN, the daughter of Julius and Rosa Pankratz Herrmann. She was the eleventh of 13 children – a baker's dozen to their parents who owned and operated a bakery. She married Robert Neal Porter on May 15, 1943, now deceased. During World War II, Helen and her sister Margarite saved money earned from working as "Rosie the Riveters" to purchase their parents' first home. As a homemaker, her life was devoted to caring for her husband and children and was very active in their lives and school activities. Serving as PTA President, she was awarded a lifetime PTA membership. Robert and Helen were faithful members of Chelsea Avenue Methodist Church and later, Schoolfield United Methodist Church. When she moved to Millington, she was baptized and became a member of Lucy Baptist Church. Helen is preceded in death by her parents and 12 siblings, her husband Robert N. Porter and her son Robert Harold Porter. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Sheila Ann and Mike Betts, son and daughter-in-law, Arthur Neil and Virginia Porter, eight grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. She was both blessed and a blessing and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. A visitation will be held, Sunday, October 20th from 3-6 pm at Forest Hill Funeral Home at 2440 Whitten Rd., Memphis, TN. The funeral service will be Monday, October 21 at 2:00 pm at the same location.