She brought joy to North Idaho

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

POST FALLS — If there would be a title for "the face of Spirit Lake," Joy Porter would be a top contender.

The parade organizer, fireworks fund collector, city council member, photographer and former longtime school board member — to name just a few ways she tirelessly served the community — died of cancer Wednesday. She was 77.

"She was definitely a fixture in town," said former Mayor Todd Clary. "For many years, the community fireworks and parades happened just because of Joy. She did a lot with nothing."

Visions of Porter driving her Pinto around town, overflowing with empty milk jugs and broken down cardboard boxes, will be forever etched in the memory of longtime locals.

"She believed wholeheartedly in recycling," said Verla Reed, founder of the nonprofit Spirit Lake Visions, which holds events for kids in which Porter also assisted.

However, Porter always left enough room in her car for voter registration cards.

"If you moved, she'd chase you down," Clary said. "She wanted everyone to be registered to vote."

Porter sat at the entrance of Miller's IGA and Dave's Hardware — most of the time by herself — with a can to collect money for the community fireworks show.

"It's my idea of a social life," she told The Press in 2014.

Porter continued that effort until recently.

"There was no way to avoid her with that coffee can collecting funds for the fireworks," Clary said. "Sooner or later, you were going to be hit up by her. She would not take no for an answer and keep chasing dollars to make it happen. One thing you could always count on was Joy Porter being there to solicit funds for the fireworks."

Organizing parades on Labor Day and the Fourth of July never left Porter's lineup.

She dubbed the town's two-block Labor Day Parade as "the world's second-shortest."

"Several parade directors have declared that theirs is the shortest," she told The Press. "The reason why I call ours the second-shortest is who's going to argue with me for that title?"

Porter also served on the city council until recently, the Lakeland Joint School District board for 25 years, Spirit Lake Food Bank, Museum of North Idaho, Spirit Lake Historical Society, senior center, American Legion in Athol and St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

Porter said the reason she was so involved stemmed from the community lending her a hand when she raised four kids on her own.

"It didn't bother me to accept help and I'm still paying it back," she said.

Reed said Porter desired to be at the forefront of community efforts.

"We don't have her talent of telling people how to set up (for events)," joked Reed. "She could keep us all in line."

But the former Army officer never let organization and being so involved rob her sense of humor.

When asked by The Press why she was seeking a city council seat, she replied, "Insanity and a glutton for punishment."

Porter also immersed herself in Kootenai County communities as a former newspaper reporter and photographer.

"Her negative and photo collection would make for a 'Who's Who of North Idaho' for the past 40 years," Clary said. "If it was happening in Spirit Lake or North Idaho, Joy had pictures of it."

Porter was counted on for plugging people into the community.

"Where else would a Seventh-day Adventist call a Catholic to find out when the Baptists are having Vacation Bible School?" Porter told The Press. "I know. I've got my nose in a lot of people's business."

Porter always brought her hand-written press releases about community events to The Press.

"If there was a scratch piece of paper with an inch available on it, she'd use it," Reed said. "She was very conservative that way."

Porter volunteered at the Museum of North Idaho in Coeur d'Alene from 2001 to March this year and served on the nonprofit's board from 2005 to 2009.

"Last year she put in 550 hours sitting next to me at the desk cataloging information about historic photos, objects and archives and proofreading," said Dorothy Dahlgren, the museum's director. "She hated the word 'that' and removed it at every opportunity."

Dahlgren said Porter was "a lesson in how to spend a life."

"She arrived pleasant and ready to help despite her health issues," Dahlgren said. "I was amazed at all she was involved in and how she just kept on serving the community."

Dahlgren said Porter would sometimes act cantankerous — like the time the museum's bookkeeper needed to use the computer Joy was working on.

"She would say, "Well I might let you have it," Dahlgren said.

Porter's favorite line was "Joy to the world."

"She did bring Joy to my world," Dahlgren said.

Reed said Porter had been battling illness, but didn't find out she had cancer until recently.

"She hadn't been well for quite a while, but I don't think she even knew she had cancer until two or three weeks ago," Reed said.

Reed said Porter's widespread community involvement will be missed.

"There will be a void," she said. "I think people will start to realize now all that she did."