Willard "Will" Wilson Porter

Willard Wilson "Will" Porter, 96, a sixth generation Texan, died Saturday, September 10, 2011. Will was born in Runnels County, Texas on May 5, 1915 to Ada Knight and Daniel Denison Porter. His life was shaped by two big events – the Depression, where he learned to hang on to his money, and World War II, which delayed the start of his career.

After graduating as Valedictorian of Lawn High School in 1932, he attended Business College in Abilene, hitch-hiking the 20 miles back and forth from Lawn. After graduation and working at several short-term jobs, the realization set in that there were not many opportunities in West Texas, so with $12 in his pocket and a used Chevrolet with 2 payments past due, he headed to Houston to find a job. He was soon hired by Shell Oil Company and was assigned to the Kilgore office.

Will was working in Kilgore when Pearl Harbor was attacked and the next day he went down with some of his friends and enlisted in the Navy. He was assigned to the Naval Training Station near Chicago. He made his way across the Pacific with his final stop at the Marine Base on Tinian Island. After 4 years of service, he was honorably discharged and returned home to the States.

He again went to work for Shell in Kilgore, but his new position required him to come to Shell’s Area Offices in Houston for regular meetings. There he met Helen Zimmermann, who was working in the Personnel Department for Shell and they were married on January 22, 1949. With the help of the GI Bill, Will worked to complete his B.B.A. at University of Houston at night, graduating at age 39. He continued to work for Shell for almost 39 years, retiring in 1978, as part of the Head Office Information System Development Team.

After retirement, he and Helen purchased the first of several motor homes and headed out to see the country. They averaged 15,000 miles every year for almost 20 years. They saw record-setting snows in Yellowstone, fished for halibut at Cook Inlet, walked the glaciers and chipped off 10,000-year-old ice to cool his before - dinner gin and tonic. They visited the Grand Canyon and fed apples to deer in their campground. They saw balloon races in Santa Fe and brought home a lobster trap from Nova Scotia. Will was active in several regional motor home clubs, and held leadership positions in the Stars of Texas and Texas Outlaws. He was a National Director of FMCA, the Family Motor Coach Association.

Will is survived by his wife, Helen, their five children and thirteen grandchildren: Linda Bishop, and her children, Christopher Bishop and wife, Amy Nicodemus, Bradley Bishop, Kate Bishop and husband John Martin, Jennifer Bishop; Karen McQuilling and husband Tom, and their children, Laura Hutcheson and husband Chris, Jill Melancon and husband Tanner, and Stephen McQuilling; Rick Porter and wife Shelly, and their son Will; Joe Porter and wife Julie and their children, Ryan and Reagan; and Bob Porter and wife Susan, and their children Ashley, Lauren and Rachel. He is also survived by three greatgrandchildren, Cooper and Porter Hutcheson and Molly Melancon, and his sister, Opal Martin. He was preceded in death by his sister, Edith Beasley, and his grandson, Michael McQuilling.

The family would like to thank Maria Ramirez, Will’s caregiver for the past two years, for her kindness to him.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Will by Bishop Vincent M. Rizzotto on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Cecilia Catholic Community, 11720 Joan of Arc, with a reception following in the Community Center. There will be a visitation at the church one hour prior to the start of the service. Interment will be at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Houston Area Parkinson Society, 2700 Southwest Freeway, Suite 296, Houston, Texas 77098, or the National Park Foundation @ www.nationalparks.org.