Rebecca "Becky" Porter

Rebecca (Becky) Porter, 65, of Battle Creek, MI, passed away Saturday, January 16th, 2016 at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital.

Becky was born February 3, 1950 in Battle Creek, Michigan. She is the daughter of Robert and Patricia (Mapes) Brown whom survive.

Becky's education began in one room schools in Newton township and continued in the Harper Creek School system. She participated in the student exchange program her junior year in Grand Mere, Quebec, returning to Harper Creek for her senior year, graduating in 1968. She entered the University of Michigan, graduating with a BSN in nursing degree. She was a nurse aide in the ER at Leila Hospital during summers.

After graduation, she was a nurse for a year in at a Gloucester, Massachusetts hospital. Following her marriage to Larry Porter, she was employed as a public health nurse at the Kalamazoo County Health Department. Following this, she was a hospice nurse for 10 years with Good Samaritan Hospice. . She was a massage therapist part time weekly at the VA hospital, which she loved.

She became interested in massage, and was trained at KCHA in Kalamazoo as well as numerous other classes and seminars over the years, and established and directed the Holistic Health Center for the past 20 years, where she did massage, taught Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology classes and establish prayer circles, spiritual reading groups, and practicums, drumming circles, and native American spiritual and sound healing practices. Becky was an avid gardener, participating in urban community gardens, local co-ops, and community development projects. She was an instructor in nutrition at KCC, and was active in early morning swimming, biking, hiking, yoga, and skiing.

She is survived by her Husband of 42 years Larry Porter, sons Carlo, of Columbus, OH, Benjamin, of Seattle, WA, and Richard, of the US Army stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC. Also surviving are sisters, Brenda (Danny) Belt, Leslie (Lynn Shafer) Brown of New Gloucester, ME, Brother Bryan Brown of Holt, MI; Nieces Jessica (Harland) Goodrich of Charlotte MI, Elyse (Eric) Donahue of Charlotte, MI. and Nephews Geoffrey Belt and Will Shafer. Grand nieces Isabelle, Helena, and Violet Goodrich and grand nephews Shawn and Dylan Donahue, sisters-in-law Joyce Fritz, Linda Swain, Jean Porter and Ann Porter, brother-in-law Ralph Porter, close friends Patricia (Howard) Brown and Wade Handrich. Preceding her in death was Brothers-in-Law James and Wayne Porter, Father-in-Law William Porter, and Mother-in-Law Rachel Porter.

Visitation will be held 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 19, 2016 and 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care where funeral services to celebrate Becky's life will be held at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to the Rebecca Porter Health Care Scholarship Fund at the Battle Creek Community Foundation. Personal messages for the family and/or favorite memories of Becky may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.