Sara Porter, who came to Midway late in life and made friends and an impact, died Wednesday at her home

Sara Porter holds the Sara Porter Day proclamation

Sara Porter, who made an impact as she spent the last 20 years of her life in Midway, died Wednesday at her home. She was 90.

Sara Mullikin Porter was born April 11, 1930, in Easton, Md. In 1959, she married Minor Gibson Porter, who died in 1997. Afterward, Sara moved from Maryland to Midway to be near her daughter, Anne Porter Elliott, Gary and their family, of Stamping Ground.

She is also survived by daughter M. Grayson Porter of Fort Myers, Fla.; granddaughter Eleanor Elliott of Stamping Ground; brother Phillip W. Mullikin (Cynthia), of Lineboro, Md., a sister-in-law, Beverly Mullikin; nieces Rebecca Mullikin McCammon and Alexandra Mullikin; and nephews John Reid, Joseph Reid and Michael Mullikin. She was preceded in death by two sisters and a brother, Joan Mullikin Reid, Susan Mullikin and John Whedon Mullikin, as well as her dearest friend, Mary Leonard.

Sara Porter fell in love with Midway and its residents. Mayor Grayson Vandegrift proclaimed April 11 as Sara Porter Day in Midway to recognize her activism in the community. She was a member of the Midway Woman’s Club, the Midway Elders, the Midway Branch-Woodford Public Library book discussion group, the Alices, a Wednesday lunch group; and Move to Amend, a campaign-finance-reform group. She also was a longtime volunteer for Francisco’s Farm and a longtime member of the American Association of University Women.

She loved to read and traveled all over the world. She held bachelor's and master's degrees from Towson State University, and taught 29 years in elementary schools in Baltimore County, 17 years as a reading specialist. After retirement, Sara became a representative of the International Reading Association and worked at the Maryland branch of the International Dyslexia Association. She tutored elementary schoolchildren in Jarrettsville, at Capital Day School in Frankfort and the Salvation Army in Lexington.

The family is grateful for the care given to Sara from Care Navigators of the Bluegrass, Home Instead, Amber Cash and Tammy Henderson. Memorial services in Midway and Baltimore will be scheduled later, with arrangements by Blackburn and Ward of Versailles, and interment at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Baltimore.