Alison Porter

Hi, everybody! I'm so excited to see you all at the reunion. Since I last saw you in 1992, I got divorced, re-married, moved to Colorado, went back to college and graduated, got a degree in Biology and a secondary education teaching certificate, subbed for a year, and am now waiting to see if I get a real job as a teacher. My husband is Bruce Ricks whose father was born in Rexburg and they are related to all the Thomas E. clan. I met him over the phone and we fell in love and then met in person and then got married. Our reception was the night of our last reunion 5 years ago. Last year we were sealed in the Provo temple. He is really athletic and runs every day and bikes and stuff. He is in better shape than our horses but sometimes slows down enough to hike and camp with me. He is also a dentist and has 6 children of his own.

The last of my 7 kids just graduated from High School. Let's see, I had her when I was 35, and she graduated 35 years after I did. Ooooooh.

Anyway, other than raising 7 kids, getting divorced and re-married, graduating from college, and climbing a big mountain last year, I think the biggest accomplishment was in learning how to roll my r's so I could sing an Italian aria.

My plans for the future include getting a job before I'm old enough to retire, have some grand-kids, ski more, ride horses more, paint pictures, play my guitar, write my life's stories, plant some trees, finish up my kid's scrapbooks, lose 5 pounds, and stay healthy.

Alison - June 2002
(2 months before learning she had cancer)

February 8, 2004 Alison Porter Alison Porter Anderson Ricks of Grand Junction, CO, was born May 19, 1949, and died Jan. 28, 2004 of cancer. She was at home surrounded by her family. Her humor and spirit will be deeply missed. Alison was born to Arthur and Beth Porter in Rexburg, Idaho. She attended schools in Rexburg and graduated from Ricks College in 1969. She married Ross L. Anderson, of Medford, in 1972, and they have seven children. They were divorced in 1996, and she married Bruce Ricks of Grand Junction, in 1997. In 2001, she graduated with honors from Mesa State College with a degree in biology and a teaching certificate. She is survived by her husband, Bruce, of Grand Junction; her mother and four brothers; her seven children, Emily Anderson (Martin Roth) of Galesburg, IL, Teddy Anderson of Grand Junction, Brigham Anderson of Salt Lake City, Utah, Jacob Anderson (Jessica and Trista Smith) of Medford, Roman Anderson of Eugene, OR, Lincoln Anderson of Salt Lake City, and Hailey Anderson of Grand Junction; and her grandson, Chase Porter Anderson of Medford. Services were held at the LDS church in Grand Junction on Jan. 31, and burial took place in Rexburg on Feb. 2. A memorial gift may be made in Alison's name to the Humane Society at www.kspirits.org or to the Rainforest Action Network at www.ran.org. mailtribune.com/archive/2004/0208/obit/obit.htm