Mary Lanning Porter formerly of McKinney, Texas passed away on June 12, 2021, at the age of 93. She was born on April 22, 1928, to LeRoy S. and Edna (Novotny) Lanning in Tyndall, South Dakota. Mary graduated from Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Florida in 1946. After graduation, she moved with her family to Dallas, Texas and pursued the dual occupations of working as a bank teller at Mercantile Bank headquarters and modeling at the flagship Neiman-Marcus store, both in downtown Dallas. In 1950, Mary was selected as Dallas County’s Miss Flame, in the annual beauty pageant held in support of National Fire Prevention Week. Mary married McKinney native, Robert C. Porter on July 22, 1951, in Boulder, Colorado and together they raised three children while residing in Dallas, Texas; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Memphis, Tennessee; Kansas City, Missouri; and McKinney, Texas.
Besides her family and her Catholic faith, Mary was passionate about sharing her time and talents with numerous causes and organizations that were important to her, prominent among them, McKinney’s Heard Natural Science Museum where she was an award-winning volunteer for many years. Her passion for volunteering was matched only by her love of playing tennis. An accomplished singles and doubles player, her best memories of the sport were not necessarily the trophies she won but the camaraderie she shared with fellow players and teammates. While living in McKinney, Mary also enjoyed being part of the Jeanne D Arc Club, Heard-Craig League, Rainbow Review Club, and the McKinney Garden Club.
She is survived by her daughter, Denise Billings and husband, Jack of Memphis, Tennessee; her son, Michael Porter and wife, Jeannine of Plano and Tyler, Texas; her daughter, Alayne Porter of Bainbridge Island, Washington; her grandchildren, Carolyn Patey, Robert Billings, Rachel Porter, Alex Porter, Ryan Porter, and Sophie Griggs; her great-grandchildren, Mary Caryl Gwatney, Jacqueline Gwatney, and Wright Billings; her friend and caregiver, Niconna Minor; and numerous other loving family and friends.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Porter; her parents, LeRoy and Edna Lanning; her brothers, Richard Lanning and Gene Lanning; and her sister, Lavonne Wolfe.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 18, 2021, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas. Interment will follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, Texas. The service may be viewed on our website at the following link; https://celebrationoflife.tv/blog/mary-porter. The service will also be available for viewing afterwards on the same link.
Family and friends are invited to Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas at their convenience on Thursday, June 17, 2021 to pay their respects and to sign the register book.