Bill Eugene Porter

Bill left this world September 16, 2025, and went to be with the Lord, as he had striven for so many years, to get others to do.

Bill Porter was born May 27, 1941, just a 1/2-mile North of the Parkland Cemetery on the East side of the road, in a little shotgun house where his parents lived while share cropping with his father's parents, Ben and Florence Porter. Not long afterwards, his parents, Albert and Ellen Porter, moved 5 miles Northeast of the little town of Perkins, Okla. where he grew up as a small boy then later, moving into town where he graduated from the 8th grade at Perkins Elementary.

In the summer of 1954, after a couple of short moves to McKinleyville, Calif. for the summer only, they moved back to McKinleyville, Calif. for the last time, where they remained, and he went to and finished High School at Arcata High School.

While living as a young boy, his father was a farmer, raising corn, Milo and peanuts. Across the road were his favorite Uncle and Aunt, John and Maxine Porter. Maxine was his mother's older sister, and John was his Grandpa Ben's half-brother. Homemade ice cream was the favorite Saturday evening special, and just spending time with the cousins was great fun. Sunday dinner was a favorite at Grandpa and Grandma Porter's house, just a mile or two north of the Parkland Cemetery and 1/2 East, down on the creek, on the old Ford place.

Bill was baptized into the General Assembly and Church of The Firstborn, February 11, 1956, and entered into God's Kingdom for the long haul. But as some young men do, he fell victim to the devils’ snares and at the age of 17 began to fall away only to recover himself just before his first marriage.

Bill finished High School at Arcata, Calif., graduating in the 1958 graduating class, and besides helping in the family business with his father, he went to work in the Lumber and Plywood Mills, where his father also worked nights. He found the love of his life in the spring of 1960, when by a vision witnessed by his Grandma Davis, came to know Marcelle Johnson, who lived in Sapulpa, Okla. They married that summer after a pen pal relationship and a 9-day courtship, while on a trip to Oklahoma.

To this union were born five children. Four sons, Michael, Philip, Kris, & Ty, then finally a daughter, Rhonda Che`ri.

Bill was called into the ministry, in the spring of 1962 and started his Evangelistic work that summer on a trip to Oklahoma, to see Marcelle's family. This Evangelistic work took them many places over the next 50 years and resulted in them having their furniture behind them over 17,000 miles, besides the single trips to various places, which were many. He made some wonderful friendships over this time span and took many souls down into the water for baptism. They rejoiced with the church family over the years and many of those dear friends survive to this day, but most are gone on.

In 1974, while living in McKinleyville, having moved back from Cushing Okla. where they spent 3 years, and now having continued his self-employment of Appliance Service work, (Complete Service Co.) Bill decided he wanted to learn to fly. He began to take the necessary steps, lessons and learning and finally was licensed to do so in the spring of 1975 he passed his test and became a licensed pilot. He later bought his own airplane, a Cessna 182, and flew many trips over the western half of the United States.

In the summer of 1984, having sold his Appliance Service business, and after having made a couple of trips to Missouri in his ministry work, he felt the lead to move to Southeast Missouri, finding a place to live just a few miles out of Doniphan, where the little church at Naylor was struggling. This trip, lead to them being there for 21 years, reviving the Assembly, and building a new Church building at Oxly, Missouri, and that Assembly still survives today.

In the spring of 2005, they sold their home in Missouri, began a long 7000-mile Evangelist trip to 14 different Assemblies, and finally arrived back at Sapulpa, Okla. where his brother Ben and sister-in-law Bessie lived, bought a home and lived there for the next 6 years. It was during this last 2 years that his wife Marcelle lost her health and finally passed away in May of 2011.

In the summer of 2011, Bill became more acquainted with his longtime friend and Sister in the church, Carlene Case, whom the Lord had spoken to him about soon after the death of his late wife Marcelle, and in Nov. of 2011 they were married at Grand Jct., Colorado. Bill had sold his home in Sapulpa, and after their marriage, made his home with Carlene in Arriola, Colo. and was able to do more traveling all around the United States, visiting many Assemblies that Carlene had for a long time desired to visit again, but was not financially able to do so. Their travels took them from coast to coast, and many places in between, and the smile returned to his face again, as he found the love of companionship with Carlene, and became the grandfather of some of her children who had only him to look towards for a grandfather. He was also the claimed grandfather to many others over the last years of his life and loved them all dearly.

Bill was the author of several books and used his retirement as a time of sharing his experiences and the things he had learned from life itself, and from his deep studies of God's word, which he loved to share with whomever would show an interest. His latter days were spent with the bride of his old age, Demia Carlene, and the love of older marriages was manifested to all those around them, to the very end.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife Marcelle (Johnson) Porter, his parents, Albert and Ellen Porter, his younger brother Ben Porter, and his sister-in-law Jerrie Porter. He is survived by his wife Carlene of the home, his brother Bobby Porter of Fortuna, Calif. and sister-in-law Bessie Porter of Sapulpa, Okla. Five children; son Michael and wife Tish of Tulare, Calif., son Philip and wife Cindy Porter of Bangkok, Thailand, son Kris Porter of Conway, Arkansas, son Preston Ty and wife Niki of Thayer, Missouri, daughter Rhonda Russell and spouse Michelle Russell of Cortez, Colo., plus many Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren, Nieces, Nephews, family, brethren and friends.