Gary Porter

Gary Allen Porter, 69, died Monday, August 13, 2018. A celebration of Gary's life will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday August 19th, at The Mineral Wells Expo Center. Gary will be lovingly remembered by his wife Carla Schoonover Porter, and their four children, Joshua and wife Jennifer Porter, Jesse Porter, Tyler Porter, Lanie Porter, and his grandchildren Maddox, Emma, and Ava Porter. Gary was born and raised in Palo Pinto County and graduated from Mineral Wells High School in the class of 1967. He earned a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Tarleton, graduating in 1973. Gary and Carla loved the life they shared together in the country side of Palo Pinto County. They were most happy when caring for their family, gardens, animals, and the land they lived on. Gary was very proud of his ancestry, going back to when his forebearers arrived in Palo Pinto County in 1872. Gary Porter descended from the Porter, Reedy, Edmondson and Turner, families that have always been known and respected as a peaceful and loving people. Gary beamed with pride when he spoke about his great- great Grandfather John Edmondson, one of the first sheriffs of Palo Pinto County, who was known for his compassion and courage in helping others. Gary loved his friends and family unconditionally. If Gary was not working, he was helping someone in need. Gary knew how to celebrate and enjoy life to it fullest, but he always enjoyed life most when he was celebrating with others. Gary was a rancher and a horseman to the very end. He loved the river and the open sky. He felt most at ease riding his horses along the banks of the Brazos River and he felt most exhilarated when rushing forward on his roping horse as the doors to the cattle pins flung open. Gary was a wise, kind, and generous man. Something in his spirit gave strength, serenity, and joy to anyone who sat and talked with him for even a small amount of time. Gary was a gentleman and a man of his word. He was always there to help the less fortunate, and never said no to a friend. All those who knew Gary felt a sense of pride in being able to call Gary a friend. There was something in Gary's rare mix of toughness, gentleness, and good humor that brought out the best in people, and it would be his wish that those who knew him best would honor his legacy by emulating these qualities while caring for the less fortunate and those in need. Aside from these qualities, most people will remember Gary as a great story teller. Gary loved to tell stories as much as he loved to build camp fires and he made it a point to never have one without the other. Gary's stories could invoke laughter, excitement, and sometimes even a little fun loving terror for boys and girls sitting at a camp fire in the dark, but ultimately his stories would leave people with a sense of inspiration. The only time Gary told a story as passionately as the stories he told about his ancestors and heroes was when he spoke of his wife, children, grandchildren, and lifelong friends. Gary considered his friends his family and loved nothing more than spending time with them. Gary was preceded in death by his father and mother, Norman and Tommye Porter, his brother Doug Porter and sister Norma Yates