Hugh F Porter

Hugh F. Porter, Jr., 89, died September 25, 2013 in Akron, Ohio.

Born October 16, 1923 in Titusville, Pa. to Hazel and Hugh Porter, Sr, he grew up in Oakmont, Pa. and attended Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University) where he graduated summa cum laude with both a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering.

Hugh interrupted his education to join the U.S. Army during World War II where he served as a Master Sergeant in the 294th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. During the push through Germany in 1945, while his unit was setting up posts to identify the location of opposing artillery, he noticed two injured men trapped by enemy fire. Without hesitation, he hopped into a nearby jeep, rescued the men and drove them two miles to an aid station. For his actions he was awarded the Silver Star and in 2007 he was inducted into the Hall of Valor at the Soldiers and Sailors Museum in Pittsburgh, PA.
He married Myrna Dible August 6, 1948 and moved to Akron, Ohio where he began a 41 year career with Goodyear Tire and Rubber. With their three daughters they moved to Topeka, Kansas and Jackson, Michigan, where he served as plant general manager, before returning to Akron where he was Director of Worldwide Machine and Equipment Design until his retirement in 1989. Hugh was actively involved with the Presbyterian Church in all the communities he lived in serving as an ordained elder in Kansas and Michigan and as a deacon here in Ohio. He was an active member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, serving as the treasure of the endowment fund and singing in the choir for decades. Since 2005 he had resided at Rockynol Retirement Community.

His beloved wife, Myrna, passed away in 2009. He is survived by daughters, Cheryl Porter of Cary, N.C., Dr. Janet Porter (Jim O'Sullivan) of Hilton Head, SC, Donna Anderson (Norm) of Hartville, Ohio; grandsons, David (Amanda) Anderson of Willoughby, OH, Brian Anderson of North Canton, OH, and great-granddaughter Avery Anderson of Willoughby, OH; also brother-in-law, Leonard Dible (Jean) of Lafayette, Ind. and sister-in-law, Mary Martsolf (David) of Gainsville, Fla.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. MONDAY, October 14, at the Myrna and Hugh Porter memorial chapel at Rockynol, 1150 W. Market St., Akron. Private inurnment with family will be held at Rose Hill Burial Park.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Hugh F. Porter, Jr. endowed fund at Carnegie Mellon University, 6 PPG Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 or Westminster Presbyterian Church endowment fund, 1250 W. Exchange St. Akron, OH 44313. (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)