About Jane Porter

Jane Porter was born Jane Catherine Dooly, May 20, 1917 during a spring snow storm. She had many interests growing up. During her childhood she learned to repair a wide range of things from bicycles to clocks.

Much of her time was spent at the family’s Antelope Island ranch. She had a penchant for solving problems, the more technical the better. Jane was adventurous, hardworking and a bit daring, acquiring her airplane pilot’s license as a young woman.

Jane was pursuing a possible future in architecture when she was called home from college to care for her ailing mother. She answered that call and many more throughout her years, always putting her personal life aside when others needed help. Much of her time was spent in the service of  those in need whether it was caring for her family, volunteering at the county hospital, or providing aid and support to numerous local educational, health and community organizations. Jane gave of herself in any way she could to help others. Her life epitomized the Golden Rule.

Jane purchased the Terry house at 1229 East South Temple in 1987, when she was seventy years old. It was not being lived in at the time and was suffering from years of neglect. With a keen sense of purpose, Jane began its restoration. She was on the site every day, collaborating closely with the architect, construction crew, craftspeople, and artists on the smallest details; insuring that the splendor of the home could be appreciated and utilized for decades to come. She was well aware of the importance of the task.

Jane made this house her home until her death on November 10, 2008.  The home’s magnificence and stateliness is obvious to anyone passing by but inside, at the heart of it, like the heart of Jane, there resides humility and grace, always reaching out to welcome, to help, to give warmth and comfort and most of all
to listen.