Earl Elwood Porter
December 21, 1919 — December 10, 2011
Earl Elwood Porter, of Virgil, died on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at his home in Virgil, at the age of 91.
He was born December 21, 1919 on a farm in Greenwood County near Eureka. He was the ninth child of twelve born to John Louis and Sadie Viola (Gray) Porter. When Earl was 9 years old, his family moved to a farm near LeRoy. In the spring of 1937, his family moved again to the Bays farm, approximately 2 miles north of Virgil, where Earl graduated from Virgil High School.
Earl left home in the fall of 1939 to go to work on the farm of Dee Wallace, Sr., the father of his sister, Erma Wallace’s husband. After trying twice to enlist in the Navy, on February 1, 1942, he was drafted into the Army. Earl was trained as a radio operator, and later was in the Military Police. He was stationed in the Aleutian Islands, and was on the assault force for the Island of Attu. Later he was shipped out to the Island of Oahu in Hawaii. Earl was discharged from the 32nd Infantry 7th Division on November 19th, 1945 at the rank of Staff Sergeant.
Following Earl’s military career, he worked in his father’s grocery store in Virgil, for his brother-in-law, Jim (Corinne) Maclaskey in the oilfields near Virgil, and lastly as an auto mechanic for Dick Robison, at his garage and filling station in Virgil. Earl retired from the Robison Garage on July 1, 1986.
In the spring of 1953, Earl met Opal Jean Titus, one of “the Titus Girls.” They were married that same year on November 28, 1953. Daughter Cynthia Ann was born in 1955 and son Mark Anthony was born in 1957.
Earl is survived by his daughter, Cindy and husband, Bill Gulick of Olathe; son, Mark and wife, Carol Porter of Madison; grandchildren, Megan Porter, Eric Porter, Sara and husband, Chris Edwards, Matt Gulick, and Michelle Torres and great-grandson, Jacob Gulick; sister, Corinne Maclaskey of Gridley; and Hazel Schadegg of Meade. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Wilmer, Elmer, John, and Arthur; and sisters, Leona Clark, Alice Crotts, Lucille Linn, Erma Wallace, and Thelma Thompson.
Graveside services will be held at 12:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at Virgil Cemetery with Pastor Mark Demas of the Virgil United Methodist Church officiating. Visitation hours are from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M., Wednesday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Virgil Fellowship Hall or to VFW Post #2712. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home at P.O. Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, which was in charge of service arrangements.
He was born December 21, 1919 on a farm in Greenwood County near Eureka. He was the ninth child of twelve born to John Louis and Sadie Viola (Gray) Porter. When Earl was 9 years old, his family moved to a farm near LeRoy. In the spring of 1937, his family moved again to the Bays farm, approximately 2 miles north of Virgil, where Earl graduated from Virgil High School.
Earl left home in the fall of 1939 to go to work on the farm of Dee Wallace, Sr., the father of his sister, Erma Wallace’s husband. After trying twice to enlist in the Navy, on February 1, 1942, he was drafted into the Army. Earl was trained as a radio operator, and later was in the Military Police. He was stationed in the Aleutian Islands, and was on the assault force for the Island of Attu. Later he was shipped out to the Island of Oahu in Hawaii. Earl was discharged from the 32nd Infantry 7th Division on November 19th, 1945 at the rank of Staff Sergeant.
Following Earl’s military career, he worked in his father’s grocery store in Virgil, for his brother-in-law, Jim (Corinne) Maclaskey in the oilfields near Virgil, and lastly as an auto mechanic for Dick Robison, at his garage and filling station in Virgil. Earl retired from the Robison Garage on July 1, 1986.
In the spring of 1953, Earl met Opal Jean Titus, one of “the Titus Girls.” They were married that same year on November 28, 1953. Daughter Cynthia Ann was born in 1955 and son Mark Anthony was born in 1957.
Earl is survived by his daughter, Cindy and husband, Bill Gulick of Olathe; son, Mark and wife, Carol Porter of Madison; grandchildren, Megan Porter, Eric Porter, Sara and husband, Chris Edwards, Matt Gulick, and Michelle Torres and great-grandson, Jacob Gulick; sister, Corinne Maclaskey of Gridley; and Hazel Schadegg of Meade. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Wilmer, Elmer, John, and Arthur; and sisters, Leona Clark, Alice Crotts, Lucille Linn, Erma Wallace, and Thelma Thompson.
Graveside services will be held at 12:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at Virgil Cemetery with Pastor Mark Demas of the Virgil United Methodist Church officiating. Visitation hours are from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M., Wednesday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Virgil Fellowship Hall or to VFW Post #2712. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home at P.O. Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, which was in charge of service arrangements.
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