Mae Bell Brinkley Porter, 1889-1966

Seymour Herald - June 1966

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May Porter, 76 of Seymour Dies

  Mrs. Mae Porter, 76, of Seymour passed away at the St. Joseph hospital at Centerville, Friday after a short period of hospitalization.

  Surviving are her husband, Clarence; a daughter, Mrs. Velma Shook of West Union, Wis., two sons, Charles of Rockford, Ill., and Joe of Iowa Falls; eight brothers and sisters, John and Charles Brinkley of Promise City, Merle Swan of Seymour; Goldie Shriver of Centerville; Raymond Brinkley of Davenport; Anna Reed of Clearfield; Ida Gray of Ottumwa and Roy Brinkley of Rockford, Ill.

  Funeral services were held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. from the Liggett Funeral home at Seymour. Burial was in the Jerome cemetery.

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Mrs. Porter Had Long Illness

  Funeral was Sunday at Liggett Funeral home for Mrs. Clarence Porter, 76, who died at St. Joseph hospital Friday where she had been a patient four days. She had been in failing health for several years and was a patient at Chariton and Corydon nursing homes before entering the hospital.

  She is survived by her husband, a retired rural mail carrier; one daughter, Mrs. Velma Shook of West Union, Wisc., two sons, Charles of Rockford, Ill., and Joe of Iowa Falls, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mrs. Cor Swan of Seymour and John and Charley Brinkley of Promise City are among her surviving sisters and brothers.

  Rev. Sidney Sloan of Centerville and Rev. Vera Riley of Seymour officiated at the funeral and burial was in Jerome cemetery. Mrs. James Anderson Jr. sang the requested hymns, accompanied by Mrs. Harlie Merritt. Palbears were Milo Snider, Clinton Swan, Kenneth Swan, Lloyd Brown, Perry McKee and George Phillips.

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Mae Brinkley Porter

  Mae Bell Brinkley Porter was born in Franklin township, Appanoose county, Iowa, May 17, 1889. She was the oldest of nine living children of Charles and Laura Farmer Brinkley. As her brothers and sisters, Ida, John, Myrle, Roy, Charley, Goldie, Raymond and Anna, were five or six years younger, she was needed as chore boy by her father to help him with the cattle, make fence and many other things such as loading a ton of loose hay on a wagon hay rack to take to town from time to time.

  Since her mother helped put in the field crops, Mae prepared the meals and took care of the younger children.

  Mae's Grandmother Brinkley acted as a mid-wife at a time of the stork's arrival and instructed her granddaughter, Mae. She was called to come to many neighbors' homes to help with the housework or duties and like her grandmother, she became a very efficient helper at a time when a new baby came into the home.

  Early in her life she was a very helpful citizen in her community. In her childhood years, she was so busy there wasn't much time for day school. However, her keen mind had taught her a multitude of essential things of life.

  On March 15, 1911, she united in marriage with Clarence R. Porter, and to this union three children were born: a daughter, Velma; a son, Charles; and a son, Joe.

  Mae was the grandmother of 16 and had 16 great-grandchildren. After her own children were of school age, she was elected as director of Masters School in Bellair township. During her tenure of 13 years, she was instrumental in bringing the poorly-organized, porrly-equipped school to a state standardized school. She helped organize a PTA which cooperated in buying the necessary equipment for the school.  Later, directors allowed beginner teachers to be employed and by so doing, destroyed the good credentials of the Masters school district.

  Early in life she united with the Methodist Wesley Chapel Church. Incidentally, the frame structure church burned own and was never rebuilt.

  Left to mourn her passing are her husband, children, sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, and a host of relatives and friends. She was a loving mother, a kind and helpful, loving companion.

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  The editor sincerely appreciates the contribution to The Jerome Journal of the above obituaries by Jo Porter of Denver, Iowa.