Donald Ray Porter

Don was a force to be reckoned with his entire life. The only thing he couldn’t beat was Lewy Body Dementia. Though he fought valiantly, LBD took his life on January 23, 2018. Born in Seattle and raised in Enumclaw, he attended JJ Smith Elementary and graduated from Enumclaw High School in 1960. He attended WSU for a year, and graduated from Central Washington University in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation. He played tackle for both football teams. After graduation he worked for Seattle Parks & Recreation where he managed a youth basketball team. He traveled to Australia and worked at Thredbo Ski Resort in 1968, returning in 1969 to work at Crystal Mountain in a variety of roles, from Security to NASTAR Racing Coordinator. He worked as a Courtesy Patroller at Sun Valley for a year.

He and Lynn returned to Greenwater in spring of 1973 and purchased the Naches Tavern that fall. Don enjoyed playing senior league basketball and baseball, on the Naches Tavern teams. He and Lynn had many adventures, including a 3-month trip to Europe in 1977, and multiple cruises including one to St. Thomas US Virgin Islands where they were married in 1994. They took their first of many trips to the Bahamas in 1994. He was the owner operator of Greenwater Logging, retiring in 2011 due to his health issues with LBD. Some of his favorite times were spent salmon fishing on his boat, C-Horse, at Telegraph Cove, BC, Canada and pheasant hunting on the Pavlovick Ranch in Central Montana. He loved his black labs Decker and Jack and their remains will be combined with his to be spread in his favorite places.

He has joined those who went before him, including his parents, Ron and Agnes Porter; his brother, Larry Michael Porter; and his cousin, Bruce Strom. He is survived by his wife, Lynn Allison Porter; his brother, Ronald Porter, Jr. of Coulee City, WA; and a son Brad, from a previous marriage. He will be greatly missed by his brothers and sisters-in-law and his many nieces and nephews.

Memorials can be made in Don’s name to Left Behind K-9 Rescue (www.leftbehindk9rescue.org) or Greenwater Fire Department, 59705 State Route 410 E, Greenwater, WA 98022.

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