HOWARD D. PORTER
Howard D. Porter, 82 of Bluefield, VA, passed away Saturday, April 22, 2017, after a short illness. He was born in Blacksburg, SC, June 10, 1934 to the late Austin and Blease Ramsey. He was the third of seven children. He was a veteran of the United States Army, serving as a military policeman in Munich, Germany from 1956-1958. Following his military service, he attended Lee College, Cleveland, TN, where he met his future wife, Barbara Geroline Porter. He and Gerrie were married on July 24, 1958. He attended the Peabody School of Teaching at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, where he obtained his Master's Degree. Howard worked as a teacher and coach for the first part of his career, after which he became a salesman with Beltone Hearing Aid in Bluefield, WV. His interests included organic gardening, Bible study, writing and family gatherings, where he loved sharing some homespun humor with friends and family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers: Edward and Hershell Porter.
He is survived by his wife: Barbara Geroline Porter; a son: Mark Tracy Porter (wife, Cherie) of Pewaukee, WI; a daughter: Tonya Davis (husband, Kent) of Lower Salem, OH; two grandsons: Jordan Porter of Cedar Rapids, IA and Joseph Porter of Pewaukee, WI; two granddaughters: Katharine Davis of Marietta, OH and Elisabeth Davis of Lower Salem, OH. He is also survived by three sisters: Anne Sue Hambright and Carolyn Turner of Blacksburg, SC and Marilyn Moss of Clover, SC; one brother: Glen Porter of Santee, SC.
Family and friends may visit Friday, April 28, 2017 from 10:00 – 12:00 p.m. at the Bluefield Virginia Church of God with the service to follow at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Grandview Memory Gardens with family and friends serving as pallbearers. Military honors will be conducted by the VFW Post #9696 and the Pocahontas American Legion Post #14.