Pearl I. Porter

Pearl I. Porter

November 30, 1918 - November 24, 2024

Pearl Irene Porter, 105, of Napa, CA, passed away peacefully at home on November 24, 2024, with family by her bedside. She was born in Manley, IA, on November 30, 1918, to Lloyd and Beatrice Wall.

At an early age, her family moved to Minnesota, where she enjoyed her younger life with brothers: Forey, Glen, LaMonte; and sister, Jean. In 1931, her family moved to Huntington Park, in Southern, CA, where her sister, Violet was born. Pearl graduated from Huntington Park High School, and then attended business college, while working a job picking avocadoes for 33 cents an hour.

She lost her brother, LaMonte in WW2 during one of the first Japanese Kamikaze attacks on his naval ship.

Pearl married, Wayne Porter, in 1945, while she was working for the Air Force. They bought a leather business where they learned about leather working. Then, in 1960, they moved to Napa, CA, opening and operating Napa's very successful Colonial Saddle Shop for 28 years. She sold the business after her husband, Wayne died, in 1988.

Pearl was a dedicated member of Napa's Soroptimist International Club and volunteered at Napa's Community Projects until the past few months. Pearl's many hobbies included gardening, antiques, candy making, doll making, China painting, jewelry repair, running estate sales, reading and researching her many loves. Pearl experienced many societal changes in her lifetime of almost 106 years, and she always kept apprised of the latest news and technologies.

She will be loved and missed by her sister, Violet; her many nieces and nephews; as well as many friends in Napa, whose lives were all enriched by knowing her.