Mary Cecelia Porter

Mary Cecelia Hoffman Porter, age 96, of Long Beach, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at the home of her niece and caretaker, Ann and Ennis Johnson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lt. Col. David L. Porter, USAF, Ret., her parents, Mary and John Hoffman, 2 sisters, Bernadine Hoffman Horn-Bostel, Rita Hoffman Holmes, 3 brothers, James Hoffman, John Hoffman, and Joe Hoffman.
Although she had no children of her own, she is survived by many nieces and nephews, including Sr. Teresa Horn-Bostel, CSJ, Bernard Horn-Bostel, Ann Vonnie Johnson and her husband Ennis, Jack Hoffman and his wife Barbara, Angel Dilts and her husband Bill, Timmy Hoffman and his wife Marcella, Rita Hoffman, Peggy Hoffman Peterson and her husband Nick, many great nieces and nephews, and several great-great nieces and nephews
After graduating in 1938 from St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN, Mrs. Porter began her outstanding career as an instructor in the Army Air Corps in 1942. This was the beginning of over 5 decades of superlative service to her country, marked throughout by remarkable achievements and significant lasting contributions to the Air Force mission. Between years of 1947 - 1949, Mary taught at Gulf Park College, an exclusive finishing school for young ladies. While having great professional success, her true love was the faithful service to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church where she served as parish organist for over 52 years playing for countless masses on Sundays, weddings, and funerals. She lovingly taught CCD in the parish guiding many children to true love of God. Through her works of service, Mary was awarded Papal Honors by Pope John Paul II.
Mary Porter was truly a woman before her time never letting any obstacles overcome her. An example is that she obtained a pilot's license in the late 1930's.
Mrs. Porter began her outstanding federal career as an instructor in the Army Air Corps, Gulfport Field, Mississippi, in January 1942. This was the beginning of over five decades of superlative service to her county, marked throughout by remarkable achievements and significant, lasting contributions to the Air Force mission.
While at Gulfport Field, she expanded her teaching skills to include courses in aircraft structural repair and aircraft electrical systems repair. She was promoted to instructor, Air Electrical (GS-7) in 1943 and transferred to Keesler Field the next year to teach electrical systems on the C-46, C-47, and C-54 aircraft. She was a pioneer in the aircraft electrical systems course, and without the benefit of course control documents such as lesson plans, course charts, training standards, and plans of instruction (at that time, they did not exist), she developed a comprehensive teaching structure to cover the six-week course.
Mrs. Porter left civil service in 1947 during the force reductions which followed the end of World War II. She came back on board in 1949, returning to Keesler as an instructor in the electrical systems branch of the airplane mechanics school. Her continuous outstanding performance was rewarded in 1951 with promotion to Training Instructor (GS-8). She soon added communications-radar equipment maintenance to her list of teaching credentials, and in 1954 became Supervisory Training Instructor for the long and remarkable successful association with officer training began when she was promoted to Senior Instructor in the officer radar course. In July 1955, her hard work and contributions to mission accomplishment were again rewarded when she was promoted to GS-9.
In 1958, Mrs. Porter was reassigned as Educational Specialist, Course Materials, and in 1960 she was promoted again to Training Specialist, Electronics (GS-11). In this capacity, she wrote the Air Force's very first career development course (CDC), for the 30352 ground radar specialty code. Today we know it as the aircraft control and warning radar career field. Mrs. Porter later became an instructor supervisor in the Officer's fundamentals course, and subsequently moved to the technical school's headquarters in the Air Force School of Applied Aerospace Sciences. One of her numerous contributions were making sure all courses at Kessler met the command standers for testing and measurement.
Mrs. Porter continued her outstanding service when she became training manager for ground communications courses, including all computer and communications-electronics officer courses. She was promoted again, to GS-12, in 1971, and in 1986 assumed duties as training evaluator. Here her vast background and tremendous experience proved instrumental. She gave the group commander up-to-the-minute feedback and evaluated the health and well-being of more than 75 of Keesler's courses. She was a key member of Second Air Force's quality team which revamped the feedback process and institutionalized the highly successful graduated assessment survey. She was the acknowledged expert in both basic and advanced communications-computer officer training, and has been directly responsible for many significant, lasting improvements. Due in no small part to her efforts, the Air Force today receives only the most highly trained communications-computer officers to lead our forces into the next century.
Highly active in the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications-Electronics Association (AFCEA), her voluntary and continuous contributions of time and effort were directly responsible for the local chapter winning two national awards at AFCEA's 1994 national convention.
Throughout her impressive career, Mrs. Porter has repeatedly been recognized for her top notch performance, receiving eight performance awards and one sustained superior performance award.
Mrs. Porter's impressive career of superlative service to her country spans over 51 years, marked throughout by achievements and contributions, many of which will be felt well into the next century. Her singular dedication and devotion to her country clearly warrant presentation of the Outstanding Civilian Career Service Award.
The visitation will be from 5 - 7 pm Sunday at the RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, Commission Rd., Long Beach. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am Monday at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 720 E Beach Blvd, Long Beach where friends may visit from 9 - 10 am.
Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Gulfport.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to be sent to the Sisters of Presentation, 18091 Commission Rd., Long Beach, MS 39503.
An online guestbook may be viewed at www.riemannfamily.com