Andrea Carol Porter, 65, of 111 Talbot Hall Road, Norfolk, VA, died peacefully at her home, early Tuesday morning, February 2, 2021, of complications from cancer. Andrea will be remembered as “a kind and innocent soul,” as one niece recently described her. She was a woman forever young in mind and heart.
Among her favorite life-long activities, she especially loved competitive bowling, pottery and ceramics, painting, and coloring with people of all ages. She enjoyed hunting for bargains in garage sales, reading “Nancy Drew” mysteries and watching “Scooby Doo” cartoons on television. Her favorite recent movie was Disney’s “Frozen.”
Born May 25, 1955, in Washington, D.C., she was the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Menacher) Porter, of Hyattsville, MD. She was baptized at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Riverdale, MD, and professed a “love of Jesus” throughout her life. She received the Last Rites of the Roman Catholic Church from a hospital chaplain on Sunday, January 31.
Andrea attended the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute, in Washington, D.C., a day-school for individuals with developmental disabilities. Upon graduation, she gained sheltered employment in horticulture at the Melwood Center in Prince George’s County, MD.
Following her mother’s death in 1985, Andrea moved to the home of her sister Mary L. Novak in Norfolk. She was active at the Norfolk Therapeutic Recreation Center for people with disabilities, taking classes in ceramic arts, competing on bowling teams, touring the greater Norfolk area on field trips and walking tours. Andrea also took great pleasure in assisting her sister in the daycare of multiple generations of neighborhood children.
Andrea’s life in Norfolk included the warm embrace of Mary’s immediate family — her late husband Alexander J. Novak, daughter Rose I. Novak of Eastford, CT; sons Alex T. Novak of the home and John M. Novak of Norfolk; and granddaughter Summer Novak of the home.
Besides her sister Mary, Andrea is also survived by sisters Monica J. Walsh of Minneapolis, MN, and Eleanor F. Porter of Takoma Park, MD; and brothers Brian J. Porter of North Potomac, MD; Kenneth B. Porter, of Lemont, IL, and David G. Porter of Gaithersburg, MD. She was pre-deceased by brothers William J. Porter, late of Asheville, VA, and Robert T. Porter, late of Woodbridge, VA. She is also survived by 15 other nieces and nephews, 13 grandnieces and grandnephews, numerous in-laws and cousins, and other family and friends.
Memorial arrangements are pending due to restrictions under the Covid-19 pandemic.