Thomas Porter

 Thomas Lee Porter, amateur jokester, award winning photographer, serial killer hunter, grandchildren’s idol, devoted husband and father for over 50 years, and the most organized person ever known, passed away after a brief battle with cancer on April 1st  April Fool’s Day, 2014 in Midlothian, Texas. Tom attended St. Anthony Catholic Grade School then graduated from Mater Dei High School in 1954. Upon graduation and eager to leave Evansville, Indiana where the prospects of landing an assembly line job at the Westinghouse Refrigerator Factory were not appealing, Tom entered the Navy’s air force division at age 17. As Tom’s lifelong fortune would have it, his 4 year military career started the year the Korean War ended.  Assigned as gunner and crew member of the Blue Shark Squadron, Tom developed a love for flying and a fondness for beer.  Although being an airborne machine gunner in a submarine hunting, twin engine bomber soaring just feet above the blue waters off of the coast of Hawaii may seem like the ultimate thrill to most twenty year olds, Tom had his sights set on more exciting adventures.  He would be the first in his family to attend college.  He did however continue a regular appearance at the annual Blue Sharks “All Hands” reunions and relived his naval adventures wearing the same sunglasses he wore when he was an enlisted sailor. College was Evansville University, where Tom met his wife of 52 years, Mary Elizabeth Koser who nursed him through his final Latin foreign language class. As a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, he graduated in 1961 with a BA in Sociology.  Shortly thereafter, Tom moved his young family to Greenfield, Indiana and fulfilled his dream of becoming a social worker for the Marion County Welfare Department for the next 6 years. Shunning the glamour and perks of working for the Marion County Welfare Department, in 1968, Tom joined the FBI.  First there was a year in Atlanta, Georgia, then a transfer to the Dallas, Texas office.  He served on several task forces and special squads that include Violent Crime, White Collar Crime and Special Operations Groups. One notable accomplishment was his infiltration of the Black Panther Organization in the early 1970’s and if you have seen a picture of Tom you would know how difficult of an assignment that was. Tom was also one of the first Psychological Profilers in the US, years before Jodie Foster made the job fashionable. He soon became sought after from fellow agents and local law enforcement for his cold case murder case solving abilities. He retired from the FBI in 1994. But, not before he strapped a Walther PPK to his ankle to be a body guard for President Nixon, learned to fly a Jumbo Jet as an anti-terrorism agent, taught crime scene photography and became the FBI’s Air Operations Coordinator.  He even occasionally wore a western cowboy gunfighter style hand tooled leather holster for his .357 magnum revolver and a Bugs Bunny tie. Retirement was not settling down time for Tom.  This was family and extended family time.  Hobbies included gardening, flying, photography, philosophy, bantering with his conservative friends and shopping at Costco.  He also elevated two of his hobbies, running and blood giving, to a competitive level; occasionally at the same time. As a long time runner, Tom used retirement to focus on competitive runs.  He rarely came home without a trophy and was often first in his age division.  Bringing home the trophy was important to Mary because it was proof that Tom was indeed at the race and not philandering. As a long time blood donor, retirement gave Tom the opportunity to go for the gold and give a record 11 gallons of blood placing him in the elite of his fellow blood giving athletes.  Yes, in 2013 both hobbies merged when a crazed cyclist ran the barricades and slammed into Tom during a 5k run in Ft. Worth as he ran next to Sarah, his granddaughter….many pleasantries were exchangedbetween the cyclist and Sarah.  Just past the finish line and while paramedics were bandaging his numerous cuts and gashes, Tom learned that he still finished the race in second place. Retirement also saw more flying trips for Tom and Mary in their well cared for Cessna 206.  This was a prosperous, incredible and magical time. Tom was truly good natured throughout his life as anyone who ever met him could attest.  Tom was also a giver.  He served the Catholic Church as an altar boy, served his country in the Navy, was a social worker and juvenile probation officer, served the community as a law enforcement officer, provided in home assistance to the sick and elderly and gave every available minute to his children and grandchildren. Tom was born on January 16, 1937 in Evansville, Indiana and is preceded in death by his parents, Robert Lee Porter and Lucille Marie Will.  His surviving children are Christine Elizabeth Ellis of Midlothian, Texas, Thomas Gregory Porter of Dripping Springs, Texas, and Blake Alan Porter of Keller, Texas and their spouses Jim, Vickie, and Bronwyn. Tom and Mary wrote a Christmas newsletter that highlighted funny occurrences the extended family had experienced throughout the year. Their grandchildren Brennan, Brooke, Sarah, Sam, Jennifer, Grayson, Cameron, Marianne, and Hudson and great-grandchildren Allison and Titus always provided plenty of comical content for the annual newsletter. Tom's wish was to be cremated, then have A Celebration of  His Life with refreshments, visiting and his Life's work and video  at West-Hurtt Funeral Home on Saturday April 12th between the hours of 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.  Interment with Military Honors to follow on Monday at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery  at 2 p.m.As a meaningful alternative to flowers and expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent to the Salvation Army at: 8060 Singleton Rd., Midlothian, Texas 76065 - or -620 Farley St., Waxahachie, Texas 75165   West-Hurtt Funeral Home is located at 217 S. Hampton Rd DeSoto Texas 75115 (972) 223-6314                                                                             “a good log warms you twice…..once when you cut it and once when you burn it”