James William Porter

Bill quietly slipped away at home after a valiant struggle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Lori, his four surviving children (JB, Amanda, Emily, Rachel), four grandchildren, and a large extended family. Preceded in death by his son, John, parents and grandparents.
We ask all who knew and loved Bill to celebrate him in a personal way on what would have been his 55th birthday, Nov. 20th.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Friday, November 15 at the Kaysville 5th Ward Chapel, 201 S. 600 E., Kaysville, UT. A viewing will be held Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the Russon Brothers Mortuary, 1941 N. Main, Farmington, UT and again on Friday from 12:00-1:15 p.m. at the church prior to services. Interment- Kaysville City Cemetery.

Bill’s Story

Bill’s older brother Tom, as a small child, requested a younger brother he could call “Billy” and his request was granted in the tiny oil town of Taft, California on November 20th, 1958, a lovely fall day just a few days before Thanksgiving. Bill had a perfectly wonderful typical childhood of the classic American boy during the late 50’s and 60s. Bill loved to share with his children all the adventures and mischief he got himself, along with his brothers Tom and Mike and his best friend Fred, into over those early years.

A major life change came in the form of a work transfer for his father to Brea, California his sophomore year in high school. Bill was quoted as say, “That’s great Dad, have a great time. I am staying here.” Of course Bill ended up tagging along. Moving to a new school is always a tough transition, and Bill struggled to find his place among a new set of peers. Fortunately, one particular young man easily saw the innate wonderfulness we all have come to love in Bill and a new lifelong friendship took root. Steve and Bill shared in all the rites of passage during that critical transition from boys to men. Some of those rites their mothers would have never approved of, but they still allowed them to discover, for themselves, the law of cause and effect.

Bill’s initial plan was to go to college, find a good job, get married and have a family. But as many of us know, the Lord often redirects us away from our goals to His. Bill was no exception. Through the influence of a young woman named Mary Beth, who he met in high school, he began a spiritual journey that lead him to the waters of baptism and a lifetime of dedicated service to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Bill, through inspiration and faith, decided to set aside his schooling to serve a two year mission in Sydney, Australian. His assignment was to minister to the immigrants from South American. Through that honorable service, he touched many lives.

Upon his return he married his wife, Lori, who, at a critical moment, managed to say the right thing to convince her he understood how to truly love her unique heart…and thus began their delightfully unique love story.

Schooling resumed once Bill figured out he had a bad case of “the knack”, which translated, means he is a natural engineer (“nerd” if you prefer to look at it that way). Though he was making good money at the time working in the oil fields of Bakersfield, California, this pursuit of higher education morphed him into a semi-poor college student who somehow managed, by some superhuman feat, to be a student, a husband, a father of two and ? children, an employee, a faithful servant of the Lord with his church assignments, and many other things to those who were drawn to his friendly, supportive nature. Graduating at the top 10% of his engineering department and being given the best job offer of the entire graduating mechanical engineers, Bill felt deeply of the Lord’s hand in blessing his efforts to be a good provider, something he had promised he would be in the early weeks of his marriage to Lori.

Bill’s story of his career with Chevron would cover several pages, but let it suffice that his path took him to far flung places, ever expanded his circle of influence, and honed and perfected his leadership skills. But the way he made those under his watch care feel listened to, respected, and personally cared about was the most important of all the skills he cultivated under his time with Chevron.

His career ambition was to be a significant and productive leader within Chevron, which he achieved with his final over-seas assignment; not only had he reached a major life goal, he was in an environment where he was thriving and expressing the best he had to offer within his profession.

But his greatest joy was his family. He took his call to be a good father and leader in the home very seriously. There is deep affection with each of his children, and they love being with their “daddy”. Stories abound with all the fun they had, the serious but needful council he gave, and his unconditional love. One story that’s particularly striking was the time John totaled Bill’s beloved Bronco, and instead of displaying anger, Bill wrapped his arms around his son and said, “You are unharmed and that is all that matters”, whereupon John wept freely upon his father’s shoulder. Their father’s legacy is deeply etched in their hearts and they will carry on all that was pure and good of the man they so deeply love.

Bill’s friends extend around the globe. Those friendships came from all classes; the uber rich to the humblest poor; their native tongue diverse, their cultures varied. Yet they all had one thing in common: they all felt honored to be called Bill’s friend. In deed the world, in a very real sense, is a sadder place now that their honored friend is no longer in their midst.

In a final reflection of Bill’s life, his greatest delight was in making his beloved Lori smile. Bill was especially happy that he was able, during their last year in Indonesia, to take Lori to exotic destinations, delighting her senses, spending wonderful moments with her in places of breath taking beauty, drinking in so many “once-in-a-life-time” adventures. But more importantly it afforded him the grace of time to deepen the bond that started with a shared “falling-in-like” smile across a church kitchen 33 years ago..yesterday…a smile that still remains even in the midst of her tears.

We all love you Bill. We will deeply miss you. We will strive to live so that we may be worthy to join you where you most assuredly are…in the arms of the Savior. Your humble, loving example goes before us…guiding us home.