Lauranna Porter

Lauranna Bradshaw Porter passed away on November 7, 2023, at the grand age of 100 years old.  These are poor words to describe a century of living, but obituaries are thin things, tasteless wafers announcing the monumental milestone of a rich mortal life passing into the eternal realm.  A line drawing of her life, cut to fit the column inches, but since she can now read it with newly perfect vision, we would like to emphasize that her family knows she was much more.

Lauranna was born July 17, 1923, in Egin, Idaho to George and Jennie Bradshaw, the second oldest of seven children.  She grew up poor during the Great Depression, where she gained her cleverness with makeshift and make do.  She read widely, had an amazing memory, a gift for rhyme, and a wonderful wry sense of humor.  She was also an energetic doer and organizer.  If something really needed to be done, even on a shoestring, it was a good idea to wave it in front of Lauranna who had a genius for finding a way.

At age 20, after a whirlwind wartime romance, she married handsome naval officer Fredrick V. Porter on Halloween 1943.  He called her his best girl, and over time the couple welcomed nine highly opinionated children who thrived on Lauranna’s fabulous cooking and astoundingly hard work.

Fred and Lauranna were sealed in the Logan temple, and she served in many positions in the LDS Church, in each area they lived.  Work was her love language and she found her greatest fulfillment in service.  Her strongest desire was that each member of her family understand their relationship as a child of God and live according to that obligation and privilege.

Lauranna was preceded in death by her parents, and four of her siblings; Marie Taylor, Betty Flint, Mona Reynolds, and Ray Bradshaw, as well as Fred Porter, her husband of 46 years, and her eldest daughter, Mary Messer.  She is survived by two siblings, Verla Archibald and Neale Bradshaw, her children Barbara Rolfe (Darrel), Jeanne Byington (Evertt), Fred Porter (Cindy), Jeff Porter (Teri), Doug Porter, Louise Bertuzzi, Maxine South (Lamont) and Laura Wilson (John), 31 grandchildren, 84 great-grandchildren, 8 great-great-grandchildren, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Lauranna herself never acknowledged or possibly even understood the full depth and breadth of her influence.  We are grateful to know who she was and how she bent and shaped the world with pies and cakes, needles and thread, and sheer determination.

Funeral services will be Saturday November 18th at 1:00 pm at the Richmond LDS Church 150 S. 100 E. Richmond, UT.  A viewing will be held prior from 11-12:30.

Family asks that in lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Utah Food Bank.

Services under the direction of Allen-Hall Mortuary.  www.allenmortuaries.com