Donald Porter

Born in Missoula, Montana. Parents being Oregonians, the family moved back to Oregon in 1934. Don started school in Portland and moved many times while he was in grade school. He started school in Willamina, Oregon, graduating from Willamina High School in 1952. He was very active in sport programs and lettered in several sports. After graduation, Don worked a couple of summers in the logging and wood product industries. He married Juanita (Nita) Wittenberg in 1955. He then moved to Salem and began working at Moore Business Forms, retiring in 1990 after 38 years.

As a young man he built and drove Drag strip cars, winning many trophies. He was a founding member of the Bent-8 Street Rod Club from the early 1950’s, where they dragged the ‘gut’ in Salem in their flat-head V8 hotrods. He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved fishing and was one of the early stern-end dory fisherman out of Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City, OR. He was both a guide and a commercial fisherman. Hunting was always his interest as well.

He is survived by his sister Janette Karn. Wife Nita Porter of over 60 years, daughters Shannon (Neil) Hansen, Sharmaine (Herme) Haderly, Patti (Bob) Delaney. Granddaughters Anndria (Chris) McMullin, Jennifer (Cody) Ogle and grandson Chad Haderly and great-grandsons Ethan Whitaker and Jacob McMullin. He was preceded in death by his parents Abe and Alberta Porter and grandson Craig Whitaker.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Shriners Hospital for Children Portland, OR.

Shriners was very significant to Don in his early years.