Leah Porzel

Throughout her long life, Leah Ruth Dinnison Porzel was a deeply committed community activist. She has been described as having a vibrant personality – open and engaging, gracious and genial. Others relate she was modest and unassuming but always full of fun.

Leah Porzel lived to be 98 years old. Leah and Francis Porzel, her husband of 53 years, were widely admired by the Falls Church community for their many contributions to the City and wider metropolitan area. 

Early and Personal Life
Leah was born 1918 in Manchester, New York to Walter Dinnison and Louise Pequignot Dinnison, but was raised in Pierce, Idaho, a small town of 500 where her parents had moved from New York to homestead when she was only 18 months old. After running a small farm on the outskirts of town, her father returned to Pierce where he built and operated the local saw mill. Her mother opened and ran the local confectionary. As a child Leah helped served the customers, standing on a box behind the counter, and it was here she developed her strong work ethic. 

She graduated from the University of Idaho in 1939 and returned to Pierce to teach English and home economics. In 1940 she married Francis Bernard Porzel, a young Army officer. Francis Porzel was later selected by the US Army to study for an advanced degree at Princeton University. He became a Los Alamos Nuclear Physicist. The Porzels lived many years in New Mexico and Chicago before landing in Falls Church in 1961. They lived in a large house at 500 Hillwood Avenue on the corner of Hillwood and Cherry Streets, which is still there today. 

Work Life and Civic Activism
Professionally Leah was the administrator of Fairfax House for 15 years. Fairfax House was a Fairfax County treatment facility for boys with mental health and emotional problems. During this time Leah also served as President of the Northern Virginia Mental Health Association. Most importantly for Falls Church City, Leah was a leader in the establishment of Aurora House. According to the Aurora House Brochure,
“Aurora House is a community-based residential counseling center for girls ages 13-17. Certified by the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, Aurora House offers short-term and long-term community-based treatment to girls referred by the Juvenile Courts of Arlington County, and the Cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, as well as from the Department of Human Services for the above jurisdictions and Fairfax County. The success of the Aurora House program stems from its unique combination of nurturing, structure, and support that has proven effective in assisting female adolescents address a variety of court-related difficulties, as well as behavioral and substance abuse issues. For almost three decades, Aurora House has provided teen girls and their families a safe environment in which to make positive changes toward a brighter future.”

Leah was the founding member and chairman of the Aurora House Advisory Committee and member emeritus until her death in 2016. Bringing her professional and volunteer experiences to bear, she was instrumental in the planning, designing, budgeting, building, and the furnishing of Aurora House, and in the hiring of its first director. She later led a 2- year effort to improve recreational programs for Aurora House residents. And, for the remainder of her life, she worked ceaselessly on fundraising for the Olom College Scholarship Fund which provides tuition assistance to any young women who has been a resident of Aurora House. 

Leah Porzel was an active member of the Association of American University Women (AAUW) for 65 years, participating as:

• Branch President of the AAUW from 1968-1972.

• FCAAUW representative to and secretary of the AAUW Metropolitan Mass Media committee, evaluating and honoring locally produced newspaper, radio, and TV productions.

• International Relations Chairman.

• Great Decisions Study Group Chairman.

• Topic Chairman.

•  Cookbook Chairman for scholarship fundraising.

Leah was also a 75-Year Member of Tri Delta Sorority, whose primary philanthropic mission is to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the DC Candlelighters Childhood Cancer foundation, providing support groups for families of children with cancer. 

She served as President of the Greater Hillwood Civic Association – her neighborhood association. 

She was a 20-year member of St. James Catholic Church Choir. 

She was an 18-year leader of the Girls Scouts of America. 

She was a Member of Lifetime Learning Institute, providing free continuing education for adults over 50 years of age. 

She was a Docent for Cherry Hill Park. 

Leah hosted countless events on behalf of many organizations at her gracious Falls Church home - notably to welcome diplomatic spouses in the DC international community. 

She could sing, dance, and sew and participated in community theatre prior to her years in Falls Church. 

Awards and Recognitions 

• For her 15 years of service to Fairfax House, Leah was awarded the A. Onthank Memorial Award for merit, Fairfax County’s highest award for county employees.

• For distinguished achievement and service, she was awarded the Silver and Gold Award from her alma mater, the University of Idaho.

• She received the Alumnae Award for distinguished service from the Idaho’s Home Economics Association.

• From the Tri Delta Sorority, she was awarded the Ernestine Block Grigsby Award for dedication and outstanding service to their local chapter.

• She was nominated for the Mattie Gundry Award in the City of Falls Church by the Falls Church chapter of AAUW.

• The Gundry Award was given by the Falls Church Commission for Women every year from 1994-2002. The award was in recognition for service “furthering the standing of women in the community.”

• The Falls Church City Council passed a memorial proclamation honoring her lifelong service to the Falls Church Community, renaming the Aurora House College Scholarship Fund to include her name, now The Olom-Porzel College Scholarship Fund. From the proclamation, “Mrs. Porzel provided unwavering support and compassion for Aurora House residents and the program by serving on the committee as an original member, chairperson, and later a member emeritus, until her death in 2016.” 

• To quote from Leah’s Mattie Gundry Award Nomination, “ . . . through these and all her activities, Mrs. Porzel’s warmth, energy, and enthusiasm have enriched the lives of women and families in Falls Church.” 

• In addition to all her other achievements and accolades, Leah Porzel raised 7 children, had 22 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. 

References: AAUW’s Mattie Gundry Nomination, Falls Church City Council Memorial Proclamation, Obituary, Aurora House Brochure, Email from daughter, Leah Louise Stephenson, Emails from AAUW members Anne Baxter and Becky Gaul.