Lloyd Elmo Porta Sr.

BIG LE HAD HIS LAST AT BAT! Lloyd E. “Big Buddy” Porta, an avid sports fan, passed away at the Butterfly Hospice Wing of the Baton Rouge General Hospital Mid City on Wednesday, May 6. The cause of death was congestive heart failure. He was 91 years old. Born in Central (Convent), LA but a longtime resident of Baton Rouge, Mr. Porta was a graduate of Istrouma High School. After graduation, he enlisted in the Navy during World War II and served in the Pacific theater aboard the USS Sperry. After the war he returned to Baton Rouge and was employed by the Ethyl Corporation, now known as Albemarle. He soon married the former Josephine Romano and raised four (4) children. Big Buddy had a strong work ethic having been a child of the depression. He worked at the Ethyl Corporation for 38.5 years and was awarded a certificate for not missing a day of work in 18 years. He worked hard and enjoyed having a beer or two at a couple of local establishments: Brady’s and Shelby’s. We were taught to “live and let live” and “never be a quitter”. He enjoyed taking the family to the ERA Recreation Center (Fairwood Country Club) on weekends to barbecue and let the kids swim, fish and play ball. Big Buddy also liked to play fast pitch softball. He was proud of the fact that he played centerfield and batted cleanup. After retirement from Ethyl in 1985, he and Josephine spent a great deal of their time going to the horse races in New Orleans and Lafayette and playing bingo. When Josephine became ill, he was her primary care taker, basically never leaving her side for the last five (5) years of her life. This took a toll on him both mentally and physically. After Josephine passed away and he was making all of the arrangements for her funeral, he said that “if Josephine had known how much trouble this was going to be, she would have never died.” He was a member of American Legion Nicholson Post No. 38, United Mine Workers of America, AFL-CIO, Teamsters and the Baton Rouge High School Dad’s Club.

Big Buddy was preceded in death by his wife of over 50 years, Josephine Romano; daughter: Carol Porta Schillage: granddaughter: Kathy Schillage; grandson: Robert Kees; parents: Julian Vincent and Justine Boudreaux Porta; sisters: Floyd Coullard, Gracie McNemar, Rose Alice Neese, Bessie Cook; brother: JV Porta.

He is survived by one brother, Ray “Coon” Porta and his wife Jackie. Big Buddy is also survived by his children: Nita Ann Kees and husband Robert who live in DeSoto, TX: Lloyd E. “Buddy Boy” Porta and his wife, Carmen and Charles J. “Chuck” Porta who all live in Baton Rouge. Grandchildren include Joseph L. “Joey” Schillage (Shannon), Donn J. “DJ” Schillage; Jeanne Kees Enloe (Darrick) and Matthew P. “Matt” Kees (Lydia). He also has numerous great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the following individuals for the care they provided to their father over the years: Drs. Douglas Say, Fred Petty and Bryan Griffith; his sitter, Ms. Ruby Kirklin and his yardman, Leroy Turner.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the March of Dimes.

Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. until the Memorial service at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13 at Greenoaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA. Inurnment at Greenoaks Memorial Park following the 10:00 a.m. service.