December 16, 1938 – October 24, 2025
Jan Nell Porter, age 86, of Lubbock, Texas, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on October 24, 2025.
Jan was born on December 16, 1938, in Pampa, Texas, to Alvin Bowen and Frances Lorraine Johnson. When she was six years old, her family moved to Kermit, where she grew up and attended school. From her earliest days, Jan’s gentle spirit and gracious heart reflected the faith and love that guided her throughout her life.
After high school, Jan went to business school in Odessa, and it was there that God’s hand brought her together with the love of her life, Phillip Porter. They knew right away they had found something special. They met on Halloween, were engaged just weeks later by December, and married on June 29, 1958. Together, they built a beautiful life, celebrating 54 years of marriage filled with love, laughter, and unwavering devotion.
They settled in Brownfield, where they opened Phil’s Shoe Store, which soon flourished into a full men’s and women’s retail store. Jan and Phil worked side by side for 40 years, pouring their hearts into their work and community. Jan managed to do it all while running a business, being a loving wife, a devoted mother, and the kind of woman who made everyone around her feel cared for.
Jan was an only child, and always desired to someday have a big family. God granted her that prayer. She and Phil raised three children plus one German exchange student they considered their own.
Jan was a woman of strong faith. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Brownfield, where she sang in the choir for many years, and later attended Southcrest Baptist Church in Lubbock.
She was the epitome of class, yet for someone so refined, she had a wonderful sense of humor and could surprise you with a witty comment or a laugh that lit up the whole room.
Jan loved to host family gatherings, cook beautiful meals (her culinary skills were truly something special), and keep a home that was always warm, welcoming, and immaculate. She loved her beach vacations, her garden, playing tennis and water-skiing in her younger days, and above all, she loved time with her family, especially her grandchildren, whom she adored beyond measure.
After retiring and selling their store, Jan and Phil moved to Lubbock to be closer to their children and grandchildren. She never missed a game, a performance, or a milestone. After Phil’s passing in 2013, Jan made a new home at Raider Ranch, where she built many dear friendships. Her favorite event was the Friday night dance, a place where her joy and zest for life continued to shine.
Jan is survived by her son David and his wife Carol, her daughter Leslie Andrews and her husband Randy, her son Paul and his wife Teresa, and Felix Bittmann (bonus son) and wife Tina, six grandchildren, Kyndal, Morgan, Rance, Taylor, Grant, and Taryn, and two great-grandchildren, Finley and Leighton. She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Phillip Porter.
Jan lived a full and faithful life, one marked by love, service, and steadfast grace just as the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.
The family would like to thank Direct Healthcare for the support and love. We would also like to thank her caregiver for the last 3 years Gay Andrews.
And we can be certain that when she entered Heaven’s gates, she heard the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Lord.” — Matthew 25:23
The family asks that donations be made to the American Diabetes Association in Jan’s memory.
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