Zenobia W. Porter

Zenobia Wauneta Porter passed away peacefully on Friday, September 15, 2011 in ManorCare Nursing Home in Springfield, Missouri after a long illness at the age of 95. She was a lifelong resident of the Van and Schofield communities of Polk County, southeast of Bolivar. The firstborn of Phillip and Carrie (Richner) Schleifer near Van Town on October 28, 1915, she was named after the Queen Zenobia who was listed in the Bible and was famous for her brief but defiant stand against Roman conquest and domination of her subjects. However, Zenobia Porter was more commonly known to her friends, neighbors and family simply as Nobie and for much of her life was shy and focused on housekeeping, being a farm partner and wife, raising her family, gardening and attending church. In later life she became more assertive, enjoyed traveling and remained active and independent until recent years. She was very compassionate toward people and animals who needed help. She was a graduate of Pleasant Hope High School. In the year 1936 she married Wilby R. Porter, a lifelong Polk County farmer and cattleman, who passed away in 1983. She was also preceded in death by her parents, an infant brother Phildon, her brother Kelly of the family home south of Van and her sister Pearl of Springfield, Missouri, her granddaughter, Christina, and other family members. She is survived by two sons; Brent and his wife Mary, of Brooklyn, New York, and James of Springfield, Missouri. She had many other younger relatives in the region. She was a member of Schofield Missionary Baptist Church, south of Halfway, MO. In recent years, Zenobia and her family have established a charitable trust in the name of her late granddaughter, Christina, and in honor of Wilby and Zenobia themselves as the creators of their farmstead, to set-aside and preserve 20 acres near Schofield as a future public conservation area and Native American Indian mound historic site for education, preservation and enjoyment. A visitation will be held on Monday, September 19, 2011 from 5:00-7:00pm at the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, Missouri. A Graveside services will be held at 10:00am on Tuesday, September 20, 1011 at the Schofield Cemetery south of Halfway, Missouri under the care and direction of the Butler Funeral Home of Bolivar, Missouri. Pallbearers will be Richard LeJeune, Ben Gorden, Dean Voris, Dale Dunseth, Vester Choate and James McDaniel. Friends and family may sign the guest book or send private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com, the obiturary picture was drawn by the late Christina Porter, Zenobia's granddaughter. PDF Printable Version

Zenobia W. Porter

October 28, 1915 - September 16, 2011