Daniel Reed Porter III's obituary

2006a-319

Daniel Reed Porter III's obituary

People

This copy of Daniel Reed Porter III's obituary, written and typed by himself, was given to Sara Upton at the Historical Society this date by Bob Epperly. It is filed in folder 52-33 with other Porter genealogy. Dan Porter was born on July 2, 1930 and died on November 21, 2006. He had been ill with a heart condition for about 5 years. His contributions to the Worthington Historical Society are invaluable. Not only did he give the inaugural address at the grand opening but he is responsible for researching many monologues on the various histories (stores, early plantation, houses, industries, etc.) of the town of Worthington. He will be missed. The obituary reads: "Cooperstown, NY: With trumpets blaring, Zeus, God of Gods, called Daniel Reed Porter III to His Heavenly Pantheon on 11-21-2006. He (Porter not Zeus) was the second white child born in the new maternity ward of Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Mass., on his father's birthday, July 2, 1930. His mother Eleanor (nee Parsons) needed all the help she could get. Porter was reared on a small farm with his siblings in Worthington, Mass. Sickly as a child, his parents often contemplated drowning him in Watt's (sic) Brook that flowed (trickled in the summer) behind the house into which (the brook not the house) they deposited other trash, sewage, and cow manure. After being partially educated in local schools, Porter matriculated in the Class of 1952 at UMass, formerly Mass Aggie. Here he failed to distinguish himself in any meaningful way, and managed to alienate a number of his classmates and professors. Upon graduation without honors, Porter was drafted into the Army and served in Korea before and after the armistice. There he learned more than at college--never volunteer, be cowardly to survive, don't circulate petitions, and keep away from indigenous females. Returning home ill prepared for an occupation, he was strangely accepted by the University of Michigan Graduate School where he tried to prepare for an acceptable if not respectable occupation. A 35-year career as a museum and historical agency administrator and museum director followed. He moved from state to state five times to keep ahead of his reputation. He completed his career ignominously in Cooperstown in 1992. On his demise he was a member of no organization, club, or charity. Porter was not survived by his parents and sister Janice Leroux. But surviving him are his relict Joan (nee Dornfeld); a daughter Leslie, her husband Edward Easton III and their daughters Erika, Caitlin, and Allison of Coudersport (God's Country), PA; his son Andrew and his wife Amy (nee Pens) and their heir Reed; a brother Edward and his wife Shirley (nee Smith) on Watt's (sic) Brook; a brother-in-law Al Leroux and his Buick sedan of Northampton; and numbers of neices and nephews. There will be no final rites or any mumbo-jumbo. He will not lie in state at The Farmers' Museum. His cremated remains will be scattered on Watt's (sic) Brook. Memorial gifts will not be accepted, and cards are a waste of money."
Newspaper articles of comments about this unique obituary have been photocopied and placed in the Porter Genealogy file.
Also copy of Jacob's Issue (Dan Porter's family genealogical record - given to us for photocopying by Ted Porter on February 10, 2007) has been placed in the Genealogy file.

Document

21.6 x 27.9 cm (8.5 x 11 in)

2006-11-21

Worthington Historical Society

2006-11-21

Paper

swu

Genealogy - Obituary, Daniel Reed Porter, III

Bob Epperly

2007-04-08

2012-12-05

MEZZANINE FILE CABINET GENEA

Obituary: Daniel Reed Porter, III

Paper