YVONNE LYNN PORTER
NEWPORT- Yvonne Lynn Porter, 42, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, to be with the Lord and His angels on October 11, 2008 after a courageous battle with cancer. Yvonne was born on March 15, 1966 in Hartland to Jim and Joanne (Campbell) Lanpher. She attended Connecticut schools, graduating from Branford High School in 1984 with highest honors and from Briarwood College, again with highest honors. Her path then took her to Palmyra, Maine where she had spent many memorable summers with her family.

After coming to Maine, Yvonne worked as a secretary for Cianbro Corporation until the births of her two children. Her love of books brought her to Mr. Paperback, where she worked part-time while her children were young. Some of Yvonne's most memorable years were spent being the president of the Palmyra Elementary PTO, where she worked tirelessly as an advocate for students and is credited with the beautiful playground that still stands today.

She worked for many years for MSAD 48 as a paraprofessional where she touched countless lives; students, staff and faculty alike. It was during this time that Yvonne decided to pursue her degree in education. She graduated cum laude from the University of Maine in 2007 with a degree in elementary education after completing a cherished student teaching assignment at the Newburgh Elementary School. It was shortly after her graduation that Yvonne was diagnosed with gastric cancer.

Yvonne felt a calling for the ocean and loved a quiet beach walk engaged in her favorite pastime, picking up shells and collecting sea glass. One of her most beloved ocean places was Gull Cottage Lighthouse, where she became engaged to her soul mate, Evan Duane. Yvonne was a true lover of life, blessed with an enormous heart to love, share, and help others.

She took great pride in her beautiful Palmyra home, her family and children, and her forever friends. While she enjoyed fishing and couldn't pass up a good yard sale, Yvonne's ultimate joy and excitement over being a teacher was apparent when she shared that the best part of teaching was gazing over her classroom of children with innocent smiles and eagerness to learn.

Yvonne is survived by her beloved children, Cameron Porter, a student at Fitchburg State College, studying film, and Karissa Porter, a sophomore at Nokomis Regional High School; and a published author, her fiancé, Evan Duane and his sons, Kyle, Evan Preston, and Nicholas of Plymouth, her father and his wife, Merle “Jim” and Linda Lanpher of Palmyra; her mother, Joanne (Campbell) Meagher of Palmyra; her grandmother, Mabel Campbell of Palmyra, two sisters, Crystal Greaves and her husband John of Dexter, and Nicole Meagher and Paul Mascal of Pittsfield; three brothers, Gary Meagher of New Haven, CT, Scott Meagher of East Haven, Ct., and Robert Champluvier and his wife, Sheryl, of Burnham. She also leaves behind many aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, forever friends, and an enormous network of caregivers.

Friends may call Wednesday, October 15, 2008, from 6 to 8 PM, at Crosby & Neal, 117 Main St., in Newport. Funeral services will be held 11 AM, Thursday at Church of Faith in Canaan, with Pastor Peter Campbell officiating. Burial will be in the Riverside cemetery in Newport. In lieu of flowers please send donations for a scholarship to be established in Yvonne's name to the Sebasticook Valley Credit Union in Newport. For an online guest register, go to www.CrosbyNeal.com.