Lola Porter, 73, of Waxhaw, North Carolina, and the wife of Glenn Porter,went to be with the Lord Thursday afternoon, August 25, 2011. Lola was born on a farm close to the village of Beaver Springs, PA. She was the daughter of the late Jay Rigle and Cora Cross Rigle. After graduating from high school, she attended Bloomsburg University, graduating with a BS degree in Education. In 1960, she participated in a cultural exchange run by the national 4-H Foundation called International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE). She spent four months in England and Wales living with different farm families in different parts of the country. Upon returning, she began teaching in the local elementary school in Beaver Springs. It was the practice for returning IFYE Exchanges to help orient the next years out-going Exchangers. It was at one of these meetings that she met Glenn who was scheduled to go to Nepal in the fall of 1961. Upon his return, she invited him to speak to her clas of 4th graders, which turned out to be grades 3, 4, 5, and 6. She said her motives were purely educational, but she and Glenn were married the next year. Glenn was in the Army at the time, and four months later, he was assigned to Korea for a year. So, the first year of their marriage was via long distance by letters. Glenn's next assignment was in Japan for a year so lola could join him. After a year there, Glenn was discharged and the began living in Lancaster County, PA. Glenn farmed there with his father and Lola began teaching in the Penn Manor School system. They both enjoyed what the were doing, but about seven years later, they both began to feel a lack of satisfaction in what they were doing. With the help of friends, they found out about Wycliffe Bible translators and that their skills were needed on the mission field. being missionaries was the farthest thing from their minds up to that time. After training, their first assignment, in 1975, was in Columbia, South America. Lola worked as a teacher, receptionist, and secretary. The next assignment was at the British Wycliffe headquarters in England. Lola worked there in childcare and as a receptionist. Eleven years later, they came to JAARS in Waxhaw, NC, where she served as receptionist in the Human Resources Department until retirement in 2007. Lola loved people, and her life impacted everyone that came in contact with her, faithfully caring and sharing the life of Jesus in her. She especially loved children and was always interested in their lives and activities. In 2009, Lola was diagnosed with cancer and she bravely fought it until her death. In addition to her loving husband, Glenn, her immediate family includes two brothers, Marlin Rigle of McClure, PA, and James Rigle, of Beaver Springs, PA; her sister, Marjorie Brown, of Hummelstown, PA. -
Service Information
Friday, September 16th, 2011 3:00pm, JAARS Center
Details:
Service Extra Info A funeral service was held at Stehman Memorial United Methodist Church in Millersville, Pennsylvania on September 4, 2011.
Interment Details
Greenfield Cemetery