John David Porter

John David Porter, age 94, of Sanford, NC passed away Saturday, November 4, 2023 at Westfield Nursing & Rehabilitation Center with his family by his side.

He was born July 19, 1929.  His parents were Samson David Porter and Topsy Riddle Porter.  John’s home was on E. Weatherspoon Street, one block from the A&Y Railroad, where he loved to watch the trains go by - hoping someday to work on the railroad.  John attended Sanford Schools and Hargrave Military Academy.  John’s favorite summer job was working as groundskeeper for the Sanford Spinners Minor League baseball team.

After finishing school John worked at Saco-Lowell till he and a friend joined the Air Force November of 1950.  He was stationed at bases near San Antinio, TX; Biloxi, Mississippi; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Sandia Bade, next to Albuquerque, NM and the last two years and 7 months at a new base near Caribou in Northern Maine. John was a fire fighter in the Air Force and his last year was the base fire inspector.  The base in Maine was small (about 500 men) and all were cleared by the FBI for top secret missions.  The mission of the base was to partially assemble atomic bombs and store them.  As fire inspector, John was authorized to enter the plant where the bombs were worked on.  He was honorably discharged November 1954.

On May 11, 1955 John had his first date with Patrecia Ann Hendricks.  They were married July 10, 1955.  After working at Saco-Lowell and Roberts Company, John was hired by Southern Railroad as a brakeman and retired from the Railroad in July 1991. 

John was a member of the Sanford Volunteer Fire Department where he was Secretary/Treasurer for several years.  He was on the Board of Directors of the Deep River Fire Department for nine years.  John was a member of the Masonic Lodge and was Master of Buffalo Lodge in 2007.

When John and Patrecia moved from town to the Deep River community, John became interested in the Deep River Fire Department.  Being almost 80 years old at that time, he knew he was too old to be a fire fighter, so John became a Board Member and later on became the Treasurer.

He is survived by his wife, of 68 years, Patrecia Hendricks Porter; daughters, Sybil Bolt (Brad) of Richmond, VA, Cecilia Adams (Dexter) and son John David Porter II (Regina) of Sanford; three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by one sister Ann Lyles and grandson Gabe Dempster.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 2:00 PM at Flat Springs Baptist Church with Dr. Gary McCollough and Father Craig Lister officiating.  The family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall following the service.

“That’s All Folks”.  Written by John David Porter

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Flat Springs Baptist Church, 4148 Deep River Road.  The family wishes these donations to help pay for school lunches at Deep River Elementary.

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