Nancy Ruth Newcomb Porter died at home on August 15, 2020 at age 94.  She was the daughter of Cyrenius A. Newcomb III and Ruth M. Murphy.  She attended Brookside School, Doty Elementary School and Kingswood Academy before graduating from Ann Arbor High School in 1943.  She believed strongly in serving her country during war time and turned down admission to the University of Michigan to attend Harper Hospital School of Nursing. She met many life-long friends at Harper, including Barbara Porter, a classmate who would introduce her to her future husband, Barb's brother Dave.  After graduation, she served as a nurse in the United States Air Force and at the Frontier Nursing Service in Hazard, Kentucky providing medical care to the impoverished and isolated residents of Eastern Kentucky. With relish, she told stories of driving her Jeep through creeks and over mountains to deliver babies in rural areas.  In 1951, she married David Porter and they had a long and happy marriage until Dave's death in 2007.

Nancy had many interests in her life but her priority was always her family; first her husband and children, and then her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She especially doted on her grandchildren who have many fond memories of holiday dinners, trips to the beach, and take-home containers of raspberry jam that she made using berries from her backyard patch.  She took delight in seeing her 4 great-grandchildren who called her Gigi with great affection. For many years, she never missed sending a birthday card, anniversary card, and Christmas card to her large extended family throughout the country.

Nancy was always a very active person.  She liked to do and learn new things throughout her entire life. Even though physical challenges late in her life posed difficulties, she never stopped doing as much as she could or finding a new interest. In the 1950's and 60's she was very active in the Girl Scouts serving as a camp nurse and leader at several national round-ups. Her love of books and volunteering at the Wing Lake School Library led to her employment in the 1970s and early 1980s at the Bloomfield Hills School District as an Audio/Visual Librarian Technician.

She was an outdoor enthusiast throughout her life and enjoyed walking, swimming and camping. She was a loyal Tigers, Lions, and Red Wings fan.  She was active in the Franklin Community Church, serving for years on numerous committees and service projects. Later, she volunteered for Meals-on-Wheels and was active in the Bloomfield Township Senior Center from its beginning days.  There, she became interested in lapidary and stained-glass projects and she continued these hobbies after moving to Henry Ford Village in 2004. At Henry Ford Village she was elected in the Resident's Council, ultimately becoming its chair.

Her many friends and activities at Henry Ford Village were important to her. Before Covid 19, the anti-racism discussion group and Vespers were a few of her favorite things to do at Henry Ford Village.  For years she tended the plants and organized puzzle making next to the St. Claire dining room at HFV.

Nancy loved Detroit and its history.  She took great pride in being the great-granddaughter of C. A. Newcomb Sr. who founded Michigan's first department store, Newcomb-Endicott and Company, in Detroit in 1868.  (She would be disappointed in us if we did not mention the store.)  No matter where she lived, she always thought of herself as a Detroiter and always believed that no matter what challenges the City faced it would thrive in the future. She loved going to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Michigan Opera Theatre, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum and taking frequent trips to Belle Isle. She was a member of Sigma Gamma since 1940.  Nancy and Dave were long-standing and active members of several antique car clubs including the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, the Antique Automobile Club of Michigan, the Veteran Motor Car Club of America, and a founding member of the Wills Sainte Claire Auto Museum.  For over 40 years, she and Dave enjoyed touring throughout the midwest in their Ford Model T, Dodge Brothers touring car, or Packard Super 8.

Nancy is survived by her daughter Susan and her husband Robert Conklin, her son Ronald, and her two grandsons and their spouses, Robert and Jessica Porter and Thomas and Linnea Porter.  She is survived by 5 great grand-children:  Ava, Eli, Reese, Lucas, and Johanna Ruth Porter who arrived in the world 6 hours after Nancy passed away.  Nancy is also survived by her brother Geoffrey A. Newcomb, her sister Tyana T. Olsem, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins whom she loved dearly.  She was predeceased by her siblings C.A.Newcomb IV (Peter), Roland C. Newcomb,  Ethan A. Newcomb, Cyrena B. Newcomb, and Kimrie T.  Newcomb.

A memorial service is being planned.  The family suggests memorials to the Judicial Process Commission, 1921 Norton Street, Rochester, New York, 14609 or the Wills Sainte Claire Auto Museum, 2408 Wills Street, Marysville, Michigan 48040