Margary Lee Porter

December 17, 1934 – July 1, 2026

Margary "Midge" Lee Porter, née Higley, 91, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada, surrounded by loved ones. She leaves behind a legacy of generosity, strength, and love that touched countless lives across nine remarkable decades.

Midge was born December 17, 1934, in San Francisco, California, to Margaret Ellinor Griffith and Dean Enzley Higley. Raised alongside her beloved sister, Barbara “Bobbie” Jean, she spent part of her childhood in San Francisco and Beaver, Utah, before the family settled in Salt Lake City. Her father died when she was young, and after her mother’s remarriage to William “Bill” Beard, she was known as Margary Beard throughout her school years, the name her classmates would remember her by. A proud graduate of Granite High School, Class of 1953, Midge continued her education at Stevens Henager Business College in Salt Lake City.

Her name itself was a family inheritance. Margary descends from the Greek “margarites,” meaning pearl, a word that passed through Latin as Margarita and into medieval English, where it took on variant forms, Margery and Margary among them, all carrying that same original meaning. Pearls have long held rich symbolic weight across cultures and traditions, representing purity, wisdom, spirituality, and calm, and in the Christian parable of the pearl of great price, the one treasure worth everything, a symbol of salvation and the Kingdom of God. For a woman of Midge’s deep and abiding faith, the name could hardly have been more fitting.

She was the fifth generation of her family to carry the name: from Margaret Edwards, born in 1787, through Margaret Rees, whose Welsh family crossed an ocean in the mid-1800s and settled in Beaver, Utah, the same small town where Midge would spend a cherished year of her own childhood a century later, to Margaret Ann Williams, to her mother, Margaret Ellinor Griffith, and at last to Midge herself. And there is a quiet truth in how a pearl is formed: slowly, layer by layer, into something smooth, lasting, and precious. It is how Midge lived, with endurance and grace, becoming more radiant with every passing year.

In 1952, Midge married John Peter Thomas in Ely, Nevada, with whom she had her three children. Though their paths later diverged, they remained friends throughout their lives. In 1976, she married Duane Porter in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; the marriage later ended.

Midge’s working life spanned more than four decades. She began by licensing cars for her husband’s car business, a service that spread by word of mouth to other dealerships and became a livelihood built on her reputation for reliability and warmth. She went on to a long and beloved tenure at Sears at Fashion Place Mall, working in departments from jewelry to furniture, where she formed lasting friendships with colleagues and customers alike. Her dedication was such that even after retiring, she returned to Sears and worked until the store’s final day of operation. Long before it went bankrupt, and before Amazon pioneered internet shopping, Sears was the nation’s largest retailer, with about 350,000 employees near its peak. Ever industrious, she later took on new roles in dental care and caretaking, and was a skilled aesthetician, a talent reflected in the youthful glow she carried well into her nineties. A lifelong Salt Lake City resident from childhood until 2021, Midge relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, for her final years.

An avid traveler, Midge explored Germany, Ireland, New York City, and Catalina Island, often in the company of her lifelong friends from her school days. She loved her daily walks, Silver Sneakers chair yoga, skiing, golfing, pickleball, and camping, and was a proud member of many bowling leagues over the years, where she earned her share of trophies. Her creative spirit shone through her oil paintings and her love of music, dancing, crossword puzzles, bingo, and card games. A woman of deep faith, she was actively involved in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a visiting angel for four years while living at Tuscany Senior Living.

Anyone who knew Midge knew her as the hostess with the most, always ready with a sandwich, a Klondike bar, or your favorite beverage, and above all, a listening ear. She found joy in life’s simple pleasures: an In-N-Out burger, a glass of Chardonnay, an Egg McMuffin, and her cherished weekly trip to the grocery store. Her favorite color was royal blue, a fitting hue for a woman of such grace and elegance.

That generous spirit never dimmed. In her final years in Las Vegas, Midge made her home in two Nevada HAND senior communities, where she quickly became a caring and beloved member of each, known for greeting her caregivers and friends with a piece of chocolate and a warm word. To the very end, her gentle heart made everyone around her feel welcomed, remembered, and loved.

Midge is survived by her children, Leslie Parker and Lisa Ferrell (Jesse); her grandchildren, Jeremy Parker, Porsha Willey, Aja Hyden, Alex Bybee, and Shae Thomas; and her six adored great-grandchildren, Marin and Oliver Hyden, Carson and Olivia Campos, Ryder Thomas, and Paris Palmer. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Barbara “Bobbie” Jean Holmquist; her son, John Kevin Thomas; and her granddaughters, Lindsey Roberts, Paige Thomas, and Lundon Thomas.

Per her wishes, Midge was cremated, and her ashes will be scattered around the world, and primarily in Salt Lake City, the city she called home for most of her life. Her life was celebrated at her 90th birthday, when loved ones gathered to tell her, in her presence, how much she meant to them. The family extends special gratitude to her daughter Lisa, her devoted caregiver these last five years, and to Nathan Adelson Hospice, whose compassionate care gave her comfort in her final days.

Ten years before her passing, Midge left a note with what she called her "going home" request: that the poem "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep" by Clare Harner be read by all who mourn her loss. Fittingly, it was first published in December 1934, the very month she was born.

Don’t cry at my grace cause

I won’t be there.

I’ll be in the breeze that

ruffles your hair.

I’ll be in the sunshine,

and I’ll be in the snow.

I’ll be in the places

where we use to go.

I’ll be in your laughter

and in the funny things.

I’ll be in your shadow

and there in your dreams.

I’ll be in your greetings

but not your good-byes.

I’ll be in the reflection

of your loving eyes

I’ll always be with you,

and I’ll always care.

So don’t cry at my graveside

cause I won’t be there.

Condolences and memories may be shared through the online guest book at sltrib.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Humanitarian Aid Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at donate.churchofjesuschrist.org or through any local congregation.

Midge’s kindness and unwavering spirit will be missed by all who knew her, and her legacy of love will continue to inspire for generations to come.