James Ervin Porter, Sr.,79, a longtime Montgom­ery resident, beloved hus­band and father, grandfa­ther, great-grandfather and friend, died suddenly in his home in Hoover, Alabama, Saturday, December 15, 2007.  Born on March 11, 1928 in Sel­ma, Alabama, he was a resi­dent of Montgomery, Ala­bama for 72 years and Hoo­ver, Alabama for the last three years.  He was a veteran of the United States Army Air Force and retired from civil service with the Alabama Army National Guard after serving for 39 years. During his career with the National Guard, he served a tour of active duty at the Pentagon in Washington, DC where he received the highest award offered to civilians for civil service.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. John Henry Porter and Mrs. Ella Bernice Lee Porter; sister Ernestine Por­ter Garner and brother Charles Elliott Porter. He is sur­vived by his loving wife of 57 years, Mrs. Geraldine Davis Porter of Birmingham, Ala­bama; four devoted children, James Ervin Porter, Jr., (She­rry), Patricia Porter Smith (Bill), Gary Allen Porter, Sr. (Rho­nda), Stuart Craig Porter, Sr. (Kathy); 1 loving grand­daughter, Margaret Smith McGregor (Chris), 5 adoring grandsons, William Porter Smith (Susan), James E. Porter, III, Gary Allen Porter, Jr., John Adam Porter and Stuart Craig Porter; Jr., two great grand­children, Christopher Smith McGregor and Emma Claire McGregor; a caring sister, Betty Porter Wearne (Barry) of Riverdale, Georgia, sister-in-law Juanita Porter of , numer­ous nieces, nephews, grand­nieces, grandnephews and lifelong friends.  He was an active member of North Shelby Baptist Church in Hoover, Alabama and for­mer member of more than 30 years at Morningview Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala­bama where he served as an elected deacon on three separate terms.  He was ac­tive in the church as a youth Sunday school teacher, Train­ing Union Director, Royal Am­bassador Director, and youth basketball coach.  He was also a former member of Tay­lor Road Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where he served as chairman of the Senior Adult Commit­tee, served on the Board of Trustees and volunteered in the church Media Library. His work with the youth of Mont­gomery extended beyond the church where he coached baseball for the Na­tional League of Dixie Youth Baseball for many years.  He was a musical prodigy and he had a love of music that started at a young age.  He started playing steel guitar professionally at the age of 12. He became a teaching professional of guitar at the age of 13, and became the youngest member of Hank Williams original Drifting Cow­boys that same year.  He was the last surviving member of Hank Williams original Drifting Cowboys band.  His interviews about Hank Williams are in the archives of the tribute to Hank Williams at the Country Music Hall of Fame.   After graduating from Sidney Lan­ier High School in Montgom­ery in 1947 he left for Nash­ville, TN, where he played steel guitar for Curly Fox and Texas Ruby on the Grand Ole Opry.  After returning to Mont­gomery, he was a featured performer in the early days of television in Montgomery, ap­pearing on WCOV-TV in 1952-1953 and The Jack Turner Show and Alabama Jubilee on WSFA-TV in 1954 and was invited to appear on The To­day Show in New York.  He volunteered regularly at the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, Alabama until his passing.  Visitation will be from 5:00 to7:00 PM on Monday, Decem­ber 17, 2007 at the Alabama Heritage Funeral Home in Montgomery, Alabama. The funeral service will be Tues­day, December 18, 2007 at 1:00 P.M. with Dr. Allan Mur­phy and Dr. Greg Belser offici­ating with internment at Ala­bama Heritage Cemetery in Montgomery, Alabama fol­lowing the funeral service Pallbearers will be his grand­sons, Porter Smith, James Por­ter, Allen Porter, Adam Porter, grandson-in-law Chris McGre­gor and nephew Les Davis.Honorary pallbearers will be his special longtime friends,the members of the Paul Bai­ley Sunday School Class at Morningview Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers the family re­quests that donations be made to Morningview Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala­bama or the North Shelby Baptist Church in Hoover, Ala­bama.Alabama Heritage Directing
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Funeral Home: ALABAMA HERITAGE FUNERAL
Publication Date: 12/17/2007