The funeral service for Pat Porter will be 11 a.m., Thursday, August 24, at Riverwood Family, with interment in New Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation is from 9 a.m. until the time of the service.
At 97 years young, Pat Porter of Brookhaven, MS, went to walk the streets of Heaven, hand-in-hand with his beloved, Eloyce, on August 20, 2023. Pat was born in Franklin County, MS, on May 4, 1926, the middle child of nine siblings, to Barney Nicholas and Katie Lofton Porter. He was raised on a farm during the Great Depression in West Lincoln attending school at West Lincoln School and graduating high school in 1944. He joined the Navy during World War II and served until the War ended. After returning from service, he married his sweetheart, Mary Eloyce Watts, on June 7, 1947. Pat and Eloyce remained devoted to one another in over 73 years of marriage until her death on November 4, 2020. Pat started work after the War at Turnbough’s Body Shop, later moving to the body shop at Clark Nelms Ford in Brookhaven. He founded Pat Porter’s Body Shop in 1960 and in 1963, his brother, Paul, joined him to form Porters’ Body Shop on Highway 51. Pat & Paul built a successful business and in 1977 built a new shop and moved the business to Hartman Street where the Shop still thrives and is known for the quality of the work that is delivered. He taught his sons and grandchildren the importance of hard work. The word “can’t” was not in his vocabulary. Pat was an active member of Central Baptist Church where he served as deacon and taught Sunday School for many years. Although he had been unable to attend services for the past few years, his faith in God was unwavering. He taught by example the importance of faith and hard work. Yet he always enjoyed fun times with his family & friends. He was a devoted son, brother, husband, uncle, Daddy & Granddaddy. He loved fishing, boating and hunting (and his dogs), and always included family in his activities. His legacy is one of faith, loyalty, love, devotion and good times.
Pat is survived by three sons, Randy Porter (Ruby) and Jeff Porter (Louann) of Brookhaven, MS, and Terry Porter of New York, NY; daughter-in-law, Charlotte Porter; two sisters, Ellen Summers of Natchez, MS, and JoAnn Worrell of Panama City, FL; nine grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren and one great-great grandson. He is preceded in death by his parents, Barney & Katie Porter, his wife, Eloyce Watts Porter, his son, Ronnie Porter, his grandson, Brad Porter, brothers, Paul Porter, Billy Porter & Lynwood Porter, and sisters, Geneva Bardwell, Raybelle Lofton and Pearl Ford.
