A Memorial Service for Lolita Porterfield, 90 of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Jefferson will be 10:00 am Friday, April 30, 2010 at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson.  Burial of the cremains will take place at a later date.

Lolita Porterfield, 90, of Cedar Rapids died there Tuesday April 27, 2010 at Living Center East. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, April 30, 2010 at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Junction Township Cemetery.

Lolita was born January 18, 1920 in Jefferson. She graduated from JHS in 1937 as Salutatorian of her class, then attended the Yankton College Conservatory of Music in South Dakota.  She returned to Jefferson and began her career as one of the most notable piano teachers in central Iowa, with many of her students going on to win contests and awards.

The music was interrupted by World War II, however. Like many young women of her time, Lolita went off to work in defense industries. She worked as a machinist at Solar Aircraft in Des Moines, then in an office at the top-secret U.S. Nuclear Reservation in Hanford, Washington.

The post-war years saw Lolita return to Jefferson and music instruction. She later worked for the State of Iowa in Carroll and Des Moines, then retired to Cedar Rapids.

In retirement she continued her voracious reading habits with multiple daily newspapers (including solving the word puzzles), biographies, and horror novels. Lolita participated in partisan politics for the first time in her life, as a Democrat. She enjoyed attending the Cedar Rapids Symphony and expanded her musical tastes to include jazz and pop. She loved visiting the parks in Cedar Rapids and Linn County. Although slowed greatly by health issues the last few months, Lolita remained the same loving, sweet, smiling, considerate person as always.

She was preceded in death by her parents, W. Roy and Christine; and by a brother, Waldon. She is survived by her son, Roy, of Cedar Rapids.