Sandra Jo Porter

On June 5, 2025, Sandra Jo Porter, known as Sandi to family and friends, died peacefully in her home at age 81 after a long battle with cancer. Sandi was a resident of Stayton, Oregon for the past 53 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry, parents Arthur and Mary Jo Lofgren, and sister Kathy Fayard. She is survived by her three children, Vaughn Porter and wife Cynthia of Beaverton, Oregon, daughter Penelope Doss and husband Randal of Concord, Virginia, son Arthur Porter and wife Xann Culver of Salem, Oregon, grandchildren Mazie Doss and Jillian Porter, and sister Annette Muir of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Born April 25, 1944 in Billings, Montana, Sandi’s family moved to Detroit, Michigan following WWII and then later relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio and built a home, and later relocated to Bad Godesburg, Germany, a suburb of Bonn. Sandi was employed at the US embassy as a clerk for the Military Assistance Advisory Group. While in Germany, Sandi had the opportunity to travel all over Europe and had many memorable adventures with friends. Sandi met future husband Henry on a blind date, and the two reunited in the United States and were married in Monmouth, Oregon on August 25,1967.

Sandi found a new and loving family in the extensive Porter clan and spent her first summer in Oregon at the Porter dairy in Beaver. 

Sandi worked for seven years at Shangri-la and the Garten Foundation teaching children with special needs. She left to raise her three children and then returned to work during their school years. Sandi landed at the Stayton Resource Center and was the manager there for 25 years. Sandi found many ways to give to the community in Stayton outside of her job duties. She at one point founded a day care, was a board member of the Stayton Food Bank for 34 years, was on the Stewardship and Endowment committees at Stayton Calvary Lutheran Church, where she was a long time member, led a cub scout troop, helped coordinate a bluegrass festival at Pioneer park, and made many other modest and often anonymous contributions over the years to Stayton and its people. She was well known for her generous and caring nature. She was declared “Woman of the Year” in 1986 by the Stayton Chamber of Commerce, an honor she was very proud of. 

Sandi had an artist’s heart, and she was never not working on a project. She created in many mediums, including stained glass, pen and ink, oil paint, and watercolors. She was not a perfectionist but a therapeutic artist expressing herself and her faith through creation. Sandi also had a deep love of nature and all little critters, and often delighted her children by catching and mostly releasing all manner of small animals and insects. She will be missed by her dog, Gus, who has been by her side throughout the last nine years. 

Sandi’s faith in God and his love for her was her salvation throughout her life. 

Sandi’s funeral service will be held at Stayton Calvary Lutheran Church at 11:00am on June 13th, 2025. Weddle Funeral Service is assisting the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to The Stayton Food Bank or the Wildlife Conservation Network https://wildnet.org/