Beverly Ann Porter

Beverly Porter, beloved wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma, and aunt, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2025, after a long, healthy, and happy life. She was born on July 12, 1928, in Bartlesville, OK, to William and Ruth Krider, the youngest of two sisters. Beverly attended Bartlesville High School until her family moved to Oklahoma City before her junior year of high school. When Beverly and her roommate Shirley were freshmen at Oklahoma State University (known then as Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College), they attended a dance class at the advice of a mutual friend “because there are lots of cute guys.” One of those guys, a WWII veteran attending college on the G.I. Bill, first danced with Shirley. He asked if she knew a nice girl from Oklahoma City and Shirley pointed to Beverly and said, “My roommate.” A romance was born between Beverly and Phil Porter, who became the love of her life. They married on September 5, 1948, and moved to Veterans Village on campus. Phil took engineering classes while Beverly worked as a secretary in the industrial engineering department. After the first semester, Phil’s grades were not good and Beverly was in tears; to help, her boss moved Phil to industrial arts education, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1951. He later earned a master’s degree in vocational education. Beverly joked that she earned an MRS degree. After Phil graduated, he and Beverly moved to Goodwell, Ok, for his first teaching job at Panhandle A & M. The couple started their family with the birth of their first child and only son, Mike. In 1952, the Porters moved to Muskogee, where Phil taught at Central High School for 16 years and then the Oklahoma School for the Blind, now known as Parkview. Their family grew to include daughters Kathy, Paula, and Becky. Beverly was Mother of the Year at St. Paul Methodist Church in 1968 and a dedicated mother in the truest sense. She had an extraordinary talent for sewing and made beautiful clothes for her daughters for many years. Her baking was epic: She baked dozens of cookies for Phil’s school events and for her children’s lunches and teacher gifts, but her apple dumplings were the stuff of legends at annual family reunions. Beverly’s recipes are cherished to this day. Beverly was the PTA President of Whittier Elementary School, where she made many close friends, and worked at Lakeland Florist for 20 years. She enjoyed family outings to Greenleaf Lake, refinishing antique furniture, reading “The Digest” (Reader’s Digest), and traveling with Phil. On their 40th wedding anniversary, they traveled to Hawaii, and during their retirement took many bus trips around the United States and had a ball. The Porters remained married for 57 years. Bev loved her pet cat, Alvin, and tolerated the family pet blue jay, who loved popcorn (hence, his name), mashed potatoes, and hiding shiny things. Beverly had a big, loving heart and gave blood regularly—a total of eight gallons—as payback for the many blood transfusions daughter Kathy had during her illness as a young woman. Bev and Phil were very active in their church, First United Methodist, and volunteered at the Garden of Lights at Honor Heights Park and rang bells at Christmas for the Salvation Army. In her 97 years, Beverly had a great sense of humor. As her eyesight failed, she drove to and from doctor appointment on the backroads of Muskogee. One day, she bumped a parked delivery truck on Arline as the driver was getting out. He wasn’t hurt and the homeowner offered Bev a chair and some lemonade while waiting for the police to arrive. Bev decided not to tell anyone. That is, until a co-worker of Paula’s at the hospital saw her mom’s picture in the newspaper (must have been a slow news day). Mom was busted. There was the time that Bev met Mike’s girlfriend, quietly sat next to him on the front porch and warned, “If you let her go, I’ll kill you.” Beverly is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Phil, her parents, sister Norma Adams; and grandson-in-law, Robert Stewart. She is survived by her devoted children: son Mike Porter and wife Brenda of Edmond; daughter Kathy Kummers and husband Mike of Muskogee; daughter Paula Tarkington and husband John of Muskogee, and daughter Becky Hanna and Jack of Lewisville, TX. Other survivors include granddaughter Sarah (Tarkington) Stewart of Muskogee; grandson Ben Hanna and wife Laura of Merritt Island, FL; grandson Matt Hanna and wife Cheryl of Denver, CO; granddaughter Katie Hanna of Lewisville, TX; great-grandchildren Kade and Ryken May, Riordan Stewart, and James Bannister; nephew Steve Smith of Norman, and some extended family. Beverly’s family sends heartfelt thanks to the loving staff at Country Gardens and Rivercross Hospice for their outstanding care. “Get a Dr. Pepper and some M&Ms on your way out!” was her way of saying thanks. The family also thanks Thelma Whittinghill for making Mom’s transition to Country Gardens flawless and the Sunday morning crew at Domino’s pizza for making her weekly pizzas with lots of love. Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29, at Cornerstone Funeral Home, 1830 N. York St., Muskogee. Her burial will be at 1:30 at Fort Gibson National Cemetery. Public viewing at Cornerstone is scheduled Sunday, Sept. 28, from 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Beverly Ann Porter

July 12, 1928 - September 7, 2025