Etta Marie Porter

Etta Marie Porter, Marie to her family and friends, peacefully passed from this earth to her heavenly home on November 23, 2022, at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center. Services will be held at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home (6101 Bosque Blvd., Waco, Texas) Friday, December 9, at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Thursday, December 8, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the garden room.

Miss Porter was born in Mt. Calm, Texas, to Robert Palmer Porter and Nannie Dell Gravitt Porter on July 14, 1932. She was the youngest of five children in the Porter family. When she was 12 years old, both of her parents passed away within a few months of each other. After the deaths of both of her parents in 1944, one of her older sisters became head of household to her and her 16-year-old brother James “Howard” Porter. She grew up in Lacy Lakeview, Texas, and attended Lacy Lakeview schools. She finished her education at Waco High School graduating salutatorian of her class in 1950. She was a member of Lakeview Baptist Church.

In 1953, she went to work for Brazos Electric. She was Secretary of Operations for Brazos Electric Power Co-operative and employed there from 1953 to 1993, when she retired. She helped to take care of her oldest sister Ina Mae Porter Burdick until her death in February 2005. Then she cared for her sister, Tama Dell Porter until her death in November 2009. She sold her house in 2013 and moved to the Providence Village, where she became a social butterfly, spending most of her time visiting with other residents or staff. One could only find her in her apartment after dinner.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Palmer Porter and Nanny Dell Gravitt Porter. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Ina Mae Porter Burdick; her husband, Vernon Burdick, Sr; and nephew, Vernon Burdick, Jr.; her sister, Tama Dell Porter; her brother, Robert Theryl Porter; and brother, James Howard Porter.

Miss Porter is survived by her sister-in-law, Bettie Porter; nieces, Jamie Porter Monroe and husband, Randall Weldon, and Nancy Porter Livingston and her husband, Bob; three great-nephews, three great-nieces, three great-great-nephews, and two great-great-nieces.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Providence Villages for the love and care they gave to Marie these last number of years. Memorials may be made to Providence Village, 300 West Highway 6, Waco, TX 76710, or a charity of your choice.