Karen E. (Debiec) Porter

Karen E. Porter, age 64 of Independence Township, was received into the loving arms of her daughter and Lord and Savior on Monday, June 23, at Good Samaritan Hospice House, after her long, courageous five-year battle with breast cancer. She was the daughter of the late Joseph and Irene (Kohar) Debiec. A devout Christian of the Catholic faith, she attended St. Titus grade school in Aliquippa, graduated from Quigley Catholic High School in 1979, and graduated from Marquette University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and Political Science. While at Marquette University, she interned for Senator William Proxmire in his Milwaukee and Washington, DC offices. After graduating, she was the director of Weight Loss Clinics of America. Karen then started her own nursing home care agency (Alternative Home Care), and later on expanded to hospice care, serving the greater Milwaukee area. She was a member of Divine Redeemer Parish, St. James Catholic Church in Sewickley. She served on the board of LTV Steel Credit Union in  Aliquippa. Karen lived out one of her many passions in life within the confines of her kitchen, which contains three ovens and a stove to bake and cook simultaneously. Her culinary creations, which were passed down to her from Grandma Kohar and her mother Irene, were unsurpassed. Not only did she spend countless hours preparing the best homemade meals for her family and friends, she also loved the holidays and made them very special, whether it was a dinner or a holiday feast. Everyone left with styrofoam takeout containers filled to the top and carefully packed full of leftovers. She would not let anyone near her Weber Charcoal Grill, where she was the grill master of steak, shrimp, hot dogs, and chicken that was done to perfection every single time. She began baking her Christmas cookies shortly after Thanksgiving and bought a separate freezer to hold them all. Karen loved the beach and enjoyed her family vacations to Destin, Florida, and would never miss a good Tom Petty concert, rain or shine. Preceding her in death, in addition to her parents, was her daughter, Rochelle Catherine Porter, a sister, Rochelle Debiec, and numerous aunts and uncles. Surviving are her husband, Jack Porter, with whom she celebrated her 29th wedding anniversary on June 7th of this year, her loving son John Joseph (J.J.) Porter, with whom she resided, a step son, Brian (Kathy) Hans of Hookstown, brother and sister in law, Joseph and Janelle Debiec of Chippewa, a niece, Jessie Debiec-Sargent and her husband Ryan of Patterson Twp, a nephew Joey Debiec and his wife Megan of Chippewa, four great nieces, an uncle, Edward (Marie) Kohar Sr. of Baden, a cousin and also Karens lifelong friend, Patricia Kohar of Sewickley, who cared for her during her illness in so many ways right until her death, Her caregiver and a loving friend, Becky Dixon with whom she resided, numerous other cousins, her second family, the Sisters of St. Joseph Baden and will also leave behind six feline friends and a loving dog, Troy. Friends will be received from 3-7 PM on Thursday in the John Syka Funeral Home, Inc., 833 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge, where prayers will be offered Friday at 10:00 AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 AM at Divine Redeemer Parish, St. James Catholic Church, Sewickley. Interment will follow in Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery, Hopewell, Township. The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff at Alleghney General Hospital, oncologist, Dr. Robert Schillo and his entire staff at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, radiologist, Dr. Rosenstein and staff for their dedication towards Karen's pain management, Concordia Visiting Nurses of Baden, Good Samaritan Hospice and Good Samaritan Hospice House, Wexford, for their wonderful and compassionate care in her last few days, In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested in Karens memory to the American Cancer Society.

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