Mary Juanita Blake was born in Telephone, TX, March 1, 1929, to Frank and Evah Blake, the youngest of three daughters. She was blessed with godly parents who taught her at an early age the importance of loving and serving God. It was the dream of this young family, coming out of the Great Depression, that their three girls should (1) learn to play the piano—they learned enough to be able to play at local Nazarene churches—and (2) attend Bethany Peniel College (now Southern Nazarene University) of Bethany, Oklahoma. They saw this second dream fulfilled as all the girls attended BPC. Juanita graduated in 1949. It was there that she met and married William "Bill" Porter on August 24, 1948.

Across the years Juanita served as a partner in her husband's ministry as a good cook, piano player, thoughtful hostess, proficient secretary and efficient financial manager. Juanita and Bill were gifted at nurturing and mentoring young couples. Bill, an elder in the Church of the Nazarene, first served as pastor in Galveston, TX, 1950-1951; then in the Spanish American Bible Institute, San Antonio, TX 1951-1954.

In 1954 they were appointed as missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene, and in July of that year they went to Puerto Rico with their 5-year-old son, Jerry. The following year John was born. Bill and Juanita served in Puerto Rico for 22 years, followed by four years in New Zealand. In 1982 they were appointed to open work for the Church of the Nazarene in Venezuela, where they served for nine years.

After their retirement to Bethany, OK, in 1992, they served for one year as interim missionaries in Spain. In Oklahoma they continued to be active in their church, especially in Hispanic Ministries. Juanita also worked part-time in the Southwest Oklahoma District office for fifteen years.

Following the death of her husband in 2004, Juanita married Ralph West, former pastor and long-time superintendent of the Louisiana District, Church of the Nazarene, on February 13, 2010. Together they served in ARMM (Association of Retired Ministers and Missionaries), ministering to retired Nazarene ministers.

Juanita was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Bill Porter, and her husband of 10 years, Ralph West, as well as sisters, Velma Cotton and Wilma Mahannah, and granddaughter, Amy Jo Porter.

She is survived by sons, Jerry Porter and wife Toni, of Argyle, TX; and John Porter and wife Fee, of Honolulu, HI; grandson, Bill Porter and his wife Kristin of Fort Worth, TX; and granddaughters, Teresa Porter Downs and her husband Thomas of Gig Harbor, WA, Mia Porter Sessions and her husband Matthew of Parker, CO, and Rovi Porter Rolfness and her husband Zach of Los Angeles, CA; and great-grandchildren, Ben Porter, Nate Porter, Liana Downs, and Eden and Elijah Sessions. She is also survived by Ralph's family: son, Larry West and wife Beth of Austin, TX; and Cindy Cagle and husband Neil of Oklahoma City; granddaughter, Catherine and husband Travis of Austin, TX, and grandsons, Michael Cagle and wife Kerri, Dustin Cagle, and Austin Cagle and wife Caitlin; and great-grandchildren, Brintley, Braxton, Parker, Mason and Bailey, all of Oklahoma City.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be given to the William and Juanita Porter Hispanic Ministerial Scholarship at Southern Nazarene University, Bethany, Oklahoma.

Viewing at Mercer-Adams is Thursday, October 15 from 9am-8pm with family present from 6-8pm. Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Friday, October 16 at Bethany First Church of the Nazarene. Interment will follow in Bethany Cemetery.

The funeral service will be livestreamed and may be viewed on this obituary page.