Kelly Lynn Porter

On November 6, 2023, we lost our beloved Kelly Lynn Porter in a tragic drowning accident in Puerto Rico. Although painful and heartbreaking, we find comfort that she died doing two of the things she loved the most: exploring the world and spending time with her best friend and husband, Horacio Rodriguez.

Kelly was born August 9, 1979 to Lynn K. Porter and Barbara Johnson Porter. The youngest of three, Kelly had a special relationship with each of her parents. She was her dad's "bonder baby" and her mom's comfort and joy. Kelly was extremely close to her siblings, Kimberly Porter Gerlach and Lane Cannon Porter, who both considered her one of their best friends and favorite people.

Kelly attended Woods Cross High School where many of her talents began to shine. She sang in the Madrigals, starred in the school musical, and was a friend to almost everyone she met.

After high school she was able to travel to Russia with International Language Programs where she taught English in a Russian preschool.

After Russia she married her first husband, Jeremy Ramos Porter. Although they ended up separating, the two remained friends and committed co-parents to their son Jeremy Cannon (JC). JC was Kelly's greatest pride and biggest accomplishment. His intelligence, natural musical abilities, and humor were a source of constant joy for Kelly. No doubt, she will continue to watch over him, worry about him, and protect him as much as she can from the other side.

In 2016 Kelly met the love of her life, Horacio Rodriguez. When the two of them decided to blend their families, Kelly quickly fell in love with Horacio's kids. Madeline became an instant "bestie" and Elena and Marcos stole her heart. She found joy in watching them grow, meet milestones, and develop into the amazing people they are today. As a brilliant emerging artist, Horacio had his biggest fan and best cheerleader in Kelly. The love she had for him and her pride in his work was immediately evident to anyone who talked to her.

Always a passionate and loyal employee, Kelly found a lot of fulfillment in her work. She made lifelong friends and great memories everywhere she went. In 2016 she joined an emerging biotech company, Recursion, and loved contributing to their continued growth. Kelly was especially proud of the work they do in drug discovery for rare diseases. Kelly's intelligence, foresight, and determination made her successful in almost everything she attempted.

While accomplished, smart, and driven, Kelly was truly defined by her relationship skills. She was a loyal and devoted sister, daughter, wife, and mother and she cherished, prioritized, and nurtured her friendships. Kelly's sense of humor, love of life, and passion for adventure made her an intoxicating person to be around. She laughed easily, loved fiercely, and lived joyfully.

Her absence leaves a painful hole in the lives of all who knew and loved her, but as Kelly would wish, we will smile when we think of her, laugh when we speak of her, and live our lives fully like she would.

Please join us for a celebration of Kelly's life Thursday, December 7th at 6:30pm at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts Auditorium 410 Campus Center Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84112