Today in Family History

Patrick Woodrow James Porter (1947 - 2003)


On March 2, 1947 Patrick Woodrow Porter was born in White Cross Hospital, Columbus, Franklin, Ohio. He was the first born son of James Joseph Porter (1908-1977) and Marjorie Ruth Wood (1923-2007). He attended Sacred Heart School in Columbus from 1953 to 1957. The family moved the summer of 1957 and Pat then attended Holy Name School in Columbus.  He graduated from Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus in 1966. Pat dropped his middle name and used his confirmation name of James as an adult, thus becoming Patrick James Porter. To some he was known as "PJ".


After high school Pat joined the Navy as a postal clerk. He was stationed for awhile in Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland on the USS Simon Lake. He then did a tour of Vietnam.


When he returned home he was hoping to get a job with the Post Office in Columbus, but that was not to be. He worked for awhile at Jeffrey Mining & Manufacturing plant in Columbus. He then worked in a couple canning factories, one of which was Continental Can Corporation.


Pat first married Brenda Kay McClain (1949-2009). From this union three children were born, one son and two daughters. This union ended in divorce. Pat later remarried; there were no children from this union.


He liked to fish and hunt, which he did as a child with his father, and as a father with his son.


Sadly, Pat lived to be only 56 years old. He died at home on 1 Oct 2003, surrounded by his loving family in Westerville, Franklin, Ohio. Pat is my brother.