Kay Porter was a champion of San Diego’s history
Talk of historic preservation in San Diego is bound to bring up the name of Kay Porter, who passed away Sept. 15 at age 92.
She made volunteer work her full-time career.
When restoration of the historic Balboa Theatre downtown was moving forward without its signature organ, Porter learned of an available replacement and found a way to get it installed. She supported the San Diego Symphony in tough times and was a driving force behind the annual COMBO gala auctions that raised money for a long list of performing and creative arts groups. She also helped launch the San Diego Crew Classic rowing regatta.
Many San Diego causes benefited from her involvement. But nothing was closer to Porter’s heart than preserving our city’s past. Her long involvement as president and board member of the San Diego Historical Society — renamed the San Diego History Center in 2006 — was testimony to that.
“Mom was always a champion of saving old houses,” said her son, Ross Porter, mentioning the Machado-stewart Adobe in Old Town, the Shermangilbert House relocated to Heritage Park, the Marston House and Villa Montezuma.
Porter’s vision and drive to move the San Diego Historical Society from Presidio Park into its present museum location on the Prado in Balboa Park transformed the institution, observed Tom Fetter, president of the history center board. “If we had the title ‘matriarch’ in our bylaws, it would be held by Kay Porter.”
“We are heartbroken at her passing,” noted Louise Torio, longtime head of Friends of the Villa Montezuma. “If not for Kay, the villa would never have been a museum.”
The Queen Anne Victorian-style villa was built in 1887 at 20th and K streets for the talented pianist, author
and mysterious spiritualist Jesse Shepard. He traveled the world channeling the music of great classical composers through his keyboard. Porter and four of her historical society friends pooled their resources to purchase the villa from a private family for $25,000 in 1969. They had a goal of restoring it and turning it into a museum owned by the city and operated by the historical society. Their dream started materializing when, in 1970, the villa was designated a city historical landmark. In 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and the city took over ownership.
Porter’s vision blossomed when the ornate, turreted Sherman Heights villa opened to the public in 1972. She was instrumental in organizing volunteers to manage and care for the structure. They became an auxiliary of the historical society known as Friends of the Villa Montezuma.
She also helped organize the annual Showcase House event. From 1974 until 2006, a historic home was put on public tour, with ticket sales supporting San Diego Historical Society programs.
When the U.S. economy hit the skids in 2006, the historical society ceased operation of the museum. In need of numerous costly structural repairs, the villa closed its doors. So Friends of the Villa Montezuma incorporated as a separate nonprofit 501 (c) (3) to continue overseeing and coordinating its renovation.
It didn’t reopen again until 2015, after foundation, roof and chimney repairs were made, thanks to an $882,000 federal community development block grant. And then it only opened for public tours for one day every three months because the grant made that a requirement. (The June tour was canceled due to the pandemic.)
The Friends group has been continuing to work with the city to secure an operation permit to fully reopen, Torio says. “It’s been far too long. We’re hoping that by early next year we will have the museum open full time (COVID-19 permitting), and we will do it in Kay’s honor. We are just heartbroken that she won’t be there to celebrate with us.”
“Kay was a woman who said, ‘We can do this,’ ” Torio added. “She put her heart and soul into so many important nonprofits and made such a difference in San Diego. Now she is getting her well-deserved rest.”
The upcoming Dia de los Muertos (Oct. 31-Nov. 2) is a traditional time of celebrating the lives of lost loved ones at their graves. Because there is no cemetery in the Sherman Heights neighborhood, the observance is being held in the Sherman Heights Community Center.
Among the altars erected there, with photos and memorabilia important to the lives of those who’ve passed, will be one dedicated to Kay Porter.
Ross said he only recently discovered his mother’s given name of Kathleen was inspired by a Bing Crosbypopularized song, “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen.” Kay is going home.
diane.bell@sduniontribune.com