Rachel Maxine Porter, of Benkelman,
died Thursday, October 23, 2008, surrounded by all of her children, at
Good Samaritan Hospital in
Kearney
,
Nebraska
, at the age of 86 years, 11 months, and 10 days.
She
was born November 2, 1921 in
Red Willow County
,
Nebraska
to Orie and Emily (Hansen) Bible, the third of 10 children.
Rachel attended country school and was a graduate of
Havana
High School
. She would often tell about
riding to school in a wagon and stopping to pick up other children along
the way. She would go on to
tell of the horse, and that after he had been standing all day at
school, that once the wagon was loaded again with kids and going home,
he would not stop to let the kids off, so they had to jump off the
wagon.
On
July 31, 1938, Rachel was united in marriage to Arthur Lee Herrick in
Oberlin
,
Kansas
. When they returned home
and told their family they had eloped, no one would believe them.
Blessing this union were five children, Eleanor Maxine, Roger
Lee, Patsy Mae, Ronald Gene, and Joyce Marye.
After
the passing of her husband, Arthur, Rachel met Bert Leonard Porter, and
they were later married.
Rachel
worked at the
Dundy
County
Hospital
for several years, managed the swimming pool, and served as City Clerk
in Benkelman for more than 30 years.
After her retirement, she went back to school and became a
florist and worked with her daughters at their Benkelman store, Flower
Magic. She loved to make
deliveries although it often took a long time because everyone would
invite her in for a cup of coffee and a visit.
She
loved her family dearly, and was always up for a good game of Rummy
Royal when they were all together. Her
house was always open to any friends her children might bring home, and
if it were mealtime, she would simply set another plate at the table and
welcome the guests to join them. There
was always room for one more, and always room for friends to spend the
night.
Rachel
also had a passion for sewing. If
one of her girls came home wanting a new dress, Rachel would look at the
picture in a catalog, sit down on the kitchen floor and cut a pattern
out of newspaper. Then,
using butter knives instead of straight pins, she’d hold the pattern
over the fabric as she would carefully cut the cloth.
Within a few days, a new dress would appear, and Rachel would
move on her next project.
In
addition to being a loving wife and mother, Rachel was active in
numerous community organizations. She
was a member of the
United
Methodist
Church
in Benkelman, the United Methodist Women, Order of Eastern Star - Holly
Chapter No. 233, the Sheba Rebekah Lodge, the American Legion Auxiliary,
and the Red Hatters. She was
Past Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star and Past President of the Legion
Auxiliary, and served on the
Senior
Center
board for several years as Secretary.
Although
she enjoyed being a member of each organization, it was her work with
the Rebekah’s that Rachel loved the most.
She held all of the offices on the local level and also served as
Assembly President of the Nebraska Lodge.
She then went on to hold offices in the International Rebekah
Lodge for several years.
Rachel
will be deeply missed by her family and by her community.
She never knew a stranger and cherished time she could spent with
her family, her many friends and her neighbors.
Preceding
her in death are her parents, Orie and Emily Bible; husbands, Arthur
Herrick and Bert Porter; brothers, Richard and Ernie Bible and two
infant brothers; sister, Irma (Bible) Adams; and granddaughter, Tamara
Rae Balderson.
Survivors
include her children, Eleanor Maxine Balderson and husband, Ray of
Benkelman, NE, Roger Lee Herrick and wife, Jackie of Stapleton, NE,
Patsy Mae Maranville and husband, Tom of Benkelman, NE, Ronald Gene
Herrick and wife, Rea of Harrison, NE, Joyce Marye Blair and husband,
Don of Benkelman, NE; grandchildren, Kevin Balderson and wife, Diane of
O’Neil, NE, Shauna Balderson and special friend, Rohit Eipe of
Seattle, WA, Darren Balderson and wife, Jane of Benkelman, NE, Tyler
Herrick of Stapleton, NE, Jason Herrick and wife, Cory also of
Stapleton, Cody (Herrick) Bearkiller and husband, Chris of North Platte,
NE, Brandon Blair and wife, Holly of Ord, NE, Brian Blair and wife,
Heidi of Lincoln, NE, Chad Herrick and wife, Katie of Cedar Rapids, IA;
seventeen great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; sisters,
Leona Wolfram of Atwood, KS, Margaret Moore and husband, Mel of
Benkelman, NE, Geneve Cohn of Denver, CO; brothers, Albert Bible and
wife, Barb of Holdrege, NE; half-sister, Kathy Nelson of Concordia, KS;
step-sister, Jerilee Beinhoff of Holdrege, NE; and many nieces, nephews,
other relatives, and her many cherished friends.
A
funeral service to celebrate her life will be
Tuesday
, October 28, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at the
United
Methodist
Church
in Benkelman with Rev. Brian Fong officiating.
Interment will follow services at the
Benkelman
Cemetery
.
Mrs.
Porter will lie in state at
Forch Funeral Chapel
in Benkelman on Monday, October 27, 2008 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
A
memorial has been established in her name.
Arrangements are under the direction of
Forch Funeral Chapel
of Benkelman.
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