Esther I. Porter

Esther I. (Jones) Porter, 87, of Dayton, Iowa, died Tuesday, October 14, 2008, at the Gowrie Care Center.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Monday, October 20, 2008, at the United Methodist Church in Dayton. Rev. Keith Putney will officiate. Burial will be in the Dayton Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., at Carson - Stapp Funeral Home in Dayton.

Esther Ione Hitchcock was born on January 1, 1921, in Murdo, South Dakota, the daughter of Harry and Dora (Sackett) Hitchcock. She attended country schools. Esther was united in marriage to Raymond Jones on March 6, 1936. The couple lived and worked on farms until 1953, when they moved to Dayton, Iowa, and began their own farming operation. Esther worked several jobs including Dayton Produce, Isaacson's Grocery Store, Dekalb, and McClelland's in Fort Dodge. She later owned and operated the Maple Lanes Caf in Dayton from 1969 to 1975. On June 29, 1971, Esther married Allen Porter.

Esther was Treasurer & Secretary for the Dayton Wranglers/Rodeo for 18 years. Esther and Allen spent winters at Williamsburg, New Mexico for 18 years where they made many new friends, and enjoyed horseback riding. Esther had several hobbies including sewing, baking, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family. She was a member of the Dayton United Methodist Church for over 50 years

Survivors include her husband Allen Porter of Dayton, Iowa; four daughters, Shirley Koslowski of Waterloo, Iowa, Carol Olson of Omaha, Nebraska, Nancy (Ronald) Johnson of Rake, Iowa, and Charlotte Tjelle of Dayton, Iowa; one son, LeRoy Jones of Dayton, Iowa; 18 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren; a sister, Lois Cates of Houston, Missouri; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Raymond Jones; three sisters, Ruth Rada, Hazel Nighbert, and Doris Canania; four children, Eva Rae Jones, Thomas Jones, Richard Jones, and an infant daughter; one grandson, Steven Olson; and her step son, Chuck Porter.