Obituary for Robert Porter
1922-2022
Captain Robert Harrison Porter, 99, of Naples, Florida and Simsbury, CT passed away peacefully at home on January 20, 2022. Bob and his wife Lil also lived in Fairfield, CT for almost 50 years prior to moving recently to Simsbury. Bob was born at home on December 8th, 1922 in New York City. He is the son of the late Francis and Margaret Porter. He grew up in Laurelton, Queens and enjoyed summers as a boy in Rockaway Beach. He graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola, Long Island and attended Fordham University prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corp. in 1942. After flight training, his squadron was shipped to protect the Panama Canal Zone where he flew a P-39 Airacobra fighter. From there he served in North Africa and then flew air cover for the Allied landings in Anzio, Italy. Next his unit left Italy and were sent to India and then China where they received, and quickly learned to fly, new P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. Their role was to protect the B-29 Superfortress bombers attacking Japanese targets in China. Bob ultimately took part in 75 missions in North Africa, Italy and China and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal along with other service medals.
Upon returning home from the war, Bob married his sweetheart, Joan Eileen Leahy in Springfield Gardens, New York. Bob’s first job after the war was as a New York City Police Officer. They eventually settled in Seaford, Long Island where they began raising their 8 children. After a few years the urge to fly came back as the commercial airline industry began to “take off”. So Bob took the test at Pan American World Airways and was quickly hired. He progressed his way from navigator, to co-pilot, to Captain and pilot on Boeing 707’s, to finally a Captain on the 747 Jumbo Jet for the last 6 years prior to his retirement at age 60. Bob was predeceased by his first wife Joan who passed away at the young age of 45. He is also predeceased by his brothers, Frank, Vincent and Donald and a sister Marilyn.
He is survived by his youngest sibling, Raymond. Bob married his current loving wife Lillian in 1971 and celebrated 50 years of marriage this past year. Together they have 11 children; Susan Schmidt and her partner Bob Seele, Nancy Moriarty (and her deceased husband David), Robert H. Porter, Jr. and his wife Vanessa, Joan Lauch and her husband Lou, Edward Noonan and his wife MaryPat, Kevin Porter and his wife Jody, Ann Tallcouch and her husband Chris, Megan Mann and her husband David, Brian Porter and his husband Rick, Kathy Lavalla and her husband Joseph, and Michael Porter and his wife Lisa. Bob and Lil also have 22 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Bob enjoyed his retirement years gardening, playing golf, reading, visiting his children and spending winters with Lil in Naples, Florida. Bob loved to follow the stock market and investments and rarely missed his cocktail hour. He had a great sense of humor and remained mentally sharp right to the end. He liked to say that his initials, RHP stood for “Red Hot Pilot” and that “ If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself”.
In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to:
Gulf Coast Veterans and Friends, Attn: Jerry Sanford
1347 Old Oak Lane
Naples, Florida 34110
Captain Robert Harrison Porter, 99, of Naples, Florida and Simsbury, CT passed away peacefully at home on January 20, 2022. Bob and his wife Lil also lived in Fairfield, CT for almost 50 years prior to moving recently to Simsbury. Bob was born at home on December 8th, 1922 in New York City. He is the son of the late Francis and Margaret Porter. He grew up in Laurelton, Queens and enjoyed summers as a boy in Rockaway Beach. He graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola, Long Island and attended Fordham University prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corp. in 1942. After flight training, his squadron was shipped to protect the Panama Canal Zone where he flew a P-39 Airacobra fighter. From there he served in North Africa and then flew air cover for the Allied landings in Anzio, Italy. Next his unit left Italy and were sent to India and then China where they received, and quickly learned to fly, new P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. Their role was to protect the B-29 Superfortress bombers attacking Japanese targets in China. Bob ultimately took part in 75 missions in North Africa, Italy and China and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal along with other service medals.
Upon returning home from the war, Bob married his sweetheart, Joan Eileen Leahy in Springfield Gardens, New York. Bob’s first job after the war was as a New York City Police Officer. They eventually settled in Seaford, Long Island where they began raising their 8 children. After a few years the urge to fly came back as the commercial airline industry began to “take off”. So Bob took the test at Pan American World Airways and was quickly hired. He progressed his way from navigator, to co-pilot, to Captain and pilot on Boeing 707’s, to finally a Captain on the 747 Jumbo Jet for the last 6 years prior to his retirement at age 60. Bob was predeceased by his first wife Joan who passed away at the young age of 45. He is also predeceased by his brothers, Frank, Vincent and Donald and a sister Marilyn.
He is survived by his youngest sibling, Raymond. Bob married his current loving wife Lillian in 1971 and celebrated 50 years of marriage this past year. Together they have 11 children; Susan Schmidt and her partner Bob Seele, Nancy Moriarty (and her deceased husband David), Robert H. Porter, Jr. and his wife Vanessa, Joan Lauch and her husband Lou, Edward Noonan and his wife MaryPat, Kevin Porter and his wife Jody, Ann Tallcouch and her husband Chris, Megan Mann and her husband David, Brian Porter and his husband Rick, Kathy Lavalla and her husband Joseph, and Michael Porter and his wife Lisa. Bob and Lil also have 22 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Bob enjoyed his retirement years gardening, playing golf, reading, visiting his children and spending winters with Lil in Naples, Florida. Bob loved to follow the stock market and investments and rarely missed his cocktail hour. He had a great sense of humor and remained mentally sharp right to the end. He liked to say that his initials, RHP stood for “Red Hot Pilot” and that “ If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself”.
In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to:
Gulf Coast Veterans and Friends, Attn: Jerry Sanford
1347 Old Oak Lane
Naples, Florida 34110