Ronzo Michael Porter

to Thomas Leeton and Laverne (Blomquist ) Porter on September 1, 1937 In Jacksonville, Texas. After

enjoying a small-town East Texas childhood, he attended Tyler Junior College and North Texas State

University, where he studied music and astronomy.

He soon landed in Austin, where he was able to experience a whole new music scene and begin a

long-term career with the Texas Employment Commission as a computer programmer. He also joined the

National Guard and became a member of the band and spent time in New Braunfels as a result. He

spent many evenings playing with the Lee Kohlenberg Orchestra. It was the beginning of a new chapter

for him that not even he could predict. He would make lifelong friends and meet his future wife, Ruth

(Haug), known to her family and close friends as Rie.

After his marriage to Rie in1967, they resided in Austin and started their family and had a son, Michael,

and daughter Rhonda. After a few years of living the city life, they moved to New Braunfels to be closer to

Rie’s parents, R.J and Esther Haug, and built a home on the family’s ranch.

Ron continued to commute to Austin and worked at the Texas Employment Commission for a total of 35

years. He spent his weekends helping his in-laws on the ranch and feeding his love of music playing with

the Moonlight Express for years, the Littl’ Fishermen, the Cloverleaf Orchestra, and the Seven Dutchmen.

He was also one of the local musicians that backed up Myron Floren at Wurstfest for many years.

In 1988, Rie lost her battle with brain cancer and life became very different for Ron and his children. Ron

eventually retired from TEC and was able to devote more of his time to his passion, music. He was a

member of the New Braunfels Village Brass Band, in addition to playing with the other groups, and served

as the band’s librarian for years.

Mary Jane came into Ron’s life in 1997 and they would soon marry and spend a very happy 26 years

together. Ron was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia in his early 80s and eventually lost all

ability to communicate. For such a well-read and knowledgeable man with so many interests and a

desire to always learn more, this was the cruelest of all diseases. Despite this, he never lost his sense of

humor or his smile.

Ron is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Leeton and Laverne (Blomquist) Porter; his sister,

Martha Ann, and brother-in-law Paul Bass, and their daughter, Paula; and his wife, Rie.

Ron is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; his son Michael and daughter-in-law Brooke (Thompson), their

children Emily, Grant, and Miles; and his daughter Rhonda Vollbrecht and her children Jillian and Owen.

Ron was laid to rest at Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park on July 17, 2024 with a private service officiated

by Pastor Rick Bartlett.