Porter, Constance Flower
Constance (Flower) Porter, 92, of Canton, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. She was the beloved wife of 66 years to the late Robert Livingston Porter. Connie, or Conkie to her cousins, will be remembered for her kindness and genuine interest in people; her passion for the English language and teaching; her ready smile; and full laugh.
Born in 1931 in Worcester, MA, she was the eldest of four children of Bardwell Hastings Flower and Maveret Elizabeth Flower. She graduated from North High School and received her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in French from Bates College in 1954. Later she continued her education with a Reading degree from St. Joseph’s College and her master’s degree in education from Central Connecticut State University in the 70’s. She also earned a Supervisory Certificate in the late 80’s.
Connie met the love of her life, Bob, in her hometown of Worcester, MA and the pair married in July, 1956. First settling in Stamford and Darien, Bob and Connie moved to Canton in 1969 with their three girls. She and Bob joined the North Canton Community United Methodist Church the next year and became lifelong members. There Connie taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, volunteered for Strawberry Festivals, visited the home-bound, brought meals to St. Elizabeth House in Hartford, was a certified Lay Leader, and attended many New York Annual Conferences. Girl Scouts were a big part of early time in Canton, and she was a Brownie leader for many years and later a substitute troop leader.
Aside from teaching, Connie was happiest being around people, singing, or with her nose in a book. She loved being outdoors all year round whether flower gardening, swimming, skiing, skating, or picking blackberries “up on the hill” at her family’s farm in Vermont. She loved traveling, baking, and sewing, creating many outfits for herself and family. A very social person, Connie loved interacting with everyone – friends, family, or someone she just met.
Connie was dedicated to teaching and enjoyed a long, successful career as an English teacher. She first taught at East Douglas High School in Massachusetts for two years after college. After marrying, she taught French and English for three years at Greenwich High School and then took time off to raise her three girls. She returned to teaching in Canton High School first as a Reading Specialist for 7th and 8th graders in 1973. After getting her master’s, she became a full time English teacher in 1977, teaching grades 7-12. She went back to school again to receive an administrative certification and became Chair of the Canton High School English Department in the early 1990s. During that time she participated with the local peace exchange program with Russia. She hosted Russian teachers and took two trips to Moscow with Canton students. Teaching all grades and levels, she touched almost every family with teenagers in town – if you did not have her as a teacher, then chances were your brother or sister did. After retiring in the later 1990’s, Connie continued her enthusiasm for all things written by chairing the Canton Friends of the Library Committee as they raised money and built the new library. She also volunteered and helped run Canton Connections after-school program for many years and sang in the Farmington Valley Chorale.
Connie is survived by her daughters, Martha Ann Porter of Plainville, CT and Sarah Hughes Porter, sonin-law Matthew Bernstein, and grandsons Asa and Otto Porter-Bernstein of Brooklyn, NY. In addition to her husband and parents, Constance is predeceased by her eldest daughter, Katherine Kellogg Porter in 2013; her sister Martha Flower Stromer and brother-in-law William Stromer; and brothers, David Albert Flower and Bardwell Hastings Flower, Jr. The family is grateful for the tender and excellent care given by her many caregivers from Home Helpers, Inc., including Dorothy Hiralien, Ana Fernandez, Andrea Mighty Stewart, Abigail Acheampong, Lorna Wright, Ann Tamaklo, Faith Cunningham, Andrea Sponzo, Anna Bazylewicz, Vicky Walters and others, scheduled with expert assistance by Senam Deku. It was through their dedicated efforts that she was able to live so well at home for so long. Constance had been afflicted with Lewy Body Dementia for over twelve years.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, February 10th at 11:00 am at the North Canton Community United Methodist Church, 3 Case Street, North Canton, CT 06059. Burial will take place in the spring in Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, NY.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in Constance’s memory can be made to the North Canton Community United Methodist Church, PO Box 311, North Canton, CT 06059-0311; or Bates College, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, ME 04240. The family welcomes remembrances which may be shared at the service or online at www.carmonfuneralhome.com.