Sue Porter - Online Memorial Website

Susan was born in Soap Lake, Washington to William and Edith Porter on August 23, 1951. She was raised in Ephrata, Wa. until age 13. When her father died, she and her siblings John, Laurel and Carol went to live with their mother's youngest sister and her family in Riverside, CA. She was in Drama and Choir at Norte Vista High school and graduated from Norte Vista High School in 1970. She attended Riverside Community College for one year and met several of her lifelong friends who became her extended family. She lived in Riverside for several years before moving to Hollywood, Ca. She worked at the famous Wallich’s Music City and met celebrities who frequented the store. Susan moved to Kenai, Alaska in the 1980s where she was a cab driver. There she met her daughter's father and Jade Porter was born in Soldotna, AK. Her daughter was born with Down’s Syndrome. Susan educated herself and even learned sign language to help her child. Susan moved back to Riverside in 1987. There she became a school bus driver for special needs students. It became a career for her which she truly enjoyed as she called the students “Her Kids”. For many years Susan would make special things for them for Christmas and other special times. If you knew Susan, the holidays were always special to her, especially Christmas and Halloween. Susan also was a proud and dedicated swim and softball coach. She was very active in the Riverside Special Olympics, Southern California and will be honored posthumously for her dedication.Susan was an excellent seamstress, talented at crafts and mechanically inclined. She loved the beach and ocean, Big Sur, San Francisco, National Parks and loved to take road trips. She enjoyed visiting friends and family on her adventures. She even went to Canada a few times. She loved camping. If you went with her she had almost everything you would need; just bring your own pillows, sleeping bag, ice chest and food. She loved the various rock formations (including those on Mt. Rubidoux). She loved going to the movies, watching tv, reading, and had an eclectic taste in music. She was a very proud vegatarian. Susan would help (if she could) anyone without question. She possessed a strong commitment to various causes and human and civil rights including for the LGBT community. She had a very adamant stance on her political views. Susan had her own spiritual beliefs and although she had many friends with different religious and spiritual beliefs she believed and felt the power of prayer. She was blessed with many wonderful friends over the years. In January, 2014, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the brain and underwent brain surgery in March, 2014, to remove a tumor. She remained optimistic, but soon found she could not hope to return to work or care for her daughter Jade. Jade moved to a wonderful group home in July, 2014. Susan being a strong person, continued to fight the cancer, but lost her battle and died peacefully on March 25, 2015, in Corona, Ca. Her ashes will be spread as per her wishes by her brother John and sister Laurel. A memorial will be held at Ryan Bonaminio Park in Riverside, Ca, on Sunday, April 19, 2015, at 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. (See above picture for more details). Susan is survived by her daughter Jade Porter of Riverside, Ca, and her three (3) siblings, brother John Porter of Chico, Ca, sister Laurel Zanker of Chico, Ca, and sister Carol Porter of King City,Or, 2 nieces and 2 nephews. She is also survived by friends that she felt were part her family.  While she will be missed by her family and friends we know she is no longer suffering and is finally at peace. 

There is another online memorial page for Susan it is:http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/pe/sue-porter-condolences/174655945?cid=gbsrchres  

Our thanks go out to Patty Gus for her help in this memorial page and her dedication to Susan.

Please feel free to add a story, add a picture, a condolence or light a candle in her memory. Thank you.