Joel Lee Porter

Joel Lee Porter, 71, died Monday, February 15, 2016 at Kindred Hospital in Houston, TX from complications following a heart attack. A native Houstonian, Joel was born December 10, 1944 to Gertrude and Jobailey Porter. Along with his younger brother Steve and his baby sister Diane, his childhood was full of mischief and adventure frequently involving projects built with his dad and his cousin.

A 1963 graduate of Waltrip High School, he immediately began his career in sales as he worked his way through an art degree from the University of Houston. At the same time, he met Lydia Carrillo, and displaying his trademark charm and some youthful bravado on various motorized vehicles, won her heart. They married April 8, 1967 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Houston, TX. Joel enlisted and served proudly in the National Guard as a mechanic in the motor pool, putting to work the skills imparted from his father. Shortly thereafter they welcomed their son Jomichael and later their daughter, Kim.

The path of his life took him to Birmingham, AL; Austin, TX; South Bend, IN; and Plano, TX. All the while he continued building sales companies until he transitioned into marketing, thereby selling things to help others. His tremendous successes enabled him to do the thing that was most important to him… caring and providing for his family. He loved sports, encouraging his children to play, spending countless hours in the heat, cold, and sometimes rain to watch their games. Most weekends would invariably find him parked in his recliner while any manner of athletic contests played out before him on TV. If not that, you could expect to find him watching mushy Hallmark movies with his wife, possibly enjoying a glass from his impressive collection of wine or maybe sipping on Scotch with his son or brother-in-law, Hondo.

As he goes to join his Heavenly Father, he leaves his wife of nearly 49 years, Lydia Porter, his son Jomichael and his wife Heather McGilvery, his daughter Kimberr Leigh Overs and her husband John, his grandchildren Chelsey Porter, Kendall Overs, and Luke Porter, his niece Kelley Van Pelt, his nephews Chris Bennett, Bob Perez, and Allen and Lucas Mangold, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, many cousins, countless friends, and his dog Marlie.

He is preceded in death by his parents Gertrude and Jobailey Porter, his brother Steve Porter, and his sister Diane Mangold.

Visitation begins at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 with the memorial service to follow at 12:00 PM at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale St., Houston, TX 77023. The pallbearers will be Jomichael Porter, Chris Bennett, Bob Perez, John Overs, Steve Horsley, Mark Miller, and Arish Rustomji. He will be laid to rest in the cemetery on site.