Margaret Frances Bundschuh Porter

Margaret Frances Bundschuh Porter, formerly of Little Rock, Ark., passed away peacefully in Clearwater, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 25. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Aug. 13, 1916 to Genevieve Merzbacher and Andrew John Bundschuch, she grew up in Dallas, Texas. She is predeceased by her husband, James Skillern Porter of Little Rock, step-daughter, Louise Porter Finch, her brother, John, sister, Jane and great-grandson, Noah Porter. A prominent leader in Alcoholics Anonymous, joining in 1948, she dedicated her life to helping others overcome addiction. She gave speeches around the country, meeting her future husband, Jim Porter, who had joined. Marrying in 1954 and moving from Dallas to her husband's hometown of Little Rock, the two of them founded the Cosmopolitan Group, the first co-ed group in Little Rock for AA. She was a member of the Little Rock Country Club, and an avid golfer, along with her husband. She was a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church. The Porters retired to Naples, Fla. in the late 1960s and started the Twenty-Four Club for AA. Allergic to tobacco smoke, she was an early leader in the campaign to ban smoking in public places, beginning with doctors and nurses smoking in hospitals. A relentless crusader, from the seventies onward, she lived to see the changes that would not have been dreamed possible at the start. For a hobby, she began ballroom dance lessons in Naples at age 60, quickly winning Florida state championships as well as regionals, not stopping until she was in her early 70s. Moving back to Little Rock, she and her husband lived at Parkway Village and then Woodland Heights to be close to her step-son, Jim Porter Jr. (Lillian); grandsons, Lamar (Debbie), Kevin (Susan), Shawn Porter and Greg Finch; granddaughters, Leslie Finch of Portland, Ore., Cathy Jones (Tim) of Little Rock and Marti Rickel (Greg) of Seattle, Wash., and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Following the death of her husband Jim in 2001, she moved to Clearwater, Fla. to be near her brother, John Bundschuh (Kathy); her niece, Janet and nephews, Andy and David Bundschuh. She is also survived by a great-niece, Chelsea and great-nephews, Trevor Bundschuh and Cody Jordan, all of Florida. The family is grateful for the love and devotion given to her by her sister-in-law, Kathy and her family. There will be a graveside service at Oakland Cemetery on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Wolfe Street Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 3708, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or Lamar Porter Field c/o Central Arkansas Boys and Girls Club, P.O. Box 530, North Little Rock, Ark. 72115. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.