Hubert Porter

Hubert K. Porter


Hubert Kenneth Porter, age 87, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away late Thursday, January 19, 2012, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.
Hubert (Hugh) Kenneth Porter was born February 2, 1924 on the family farm near Cumberland Iowa. His parents were Hugh Ambrose Porter and Anna Catherine Wilhemina (Tibken) Porter. He attended country schools near Massena and Cumberland and graduated from Cumberland High School in 1941. He entered the Army in August, 1944. During honorable service in the Battle of the Bulge he earned the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal, European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon w/2 Bronze Battle Stars, 3 Overseas Service Bars, and Army of Occupation Medal. He was honorably discharged June 12, 1946, achieving the rank T5. He saw combat action in the European Theater with the First Army’s 69th Infantry Division. He was a member of an antitank company in the 273rd Regiment which was the spearhead for the First Army in Germany. The unit was the first American unit to meet the Soviet Red Army on the Elbe River near Torgau, Germany April 25, 1945.
Wilma Wiepert and Hubert Porter were married October 1, 1950 in the First Lutheran Church south of Wiota. They have one daughter, Peggy Lee. They have resided in Atlantic during their 61 years of marriage. Hubert worked as an auto mechanic in Atlantic after returning from the war. He was service manager at Merner Motors and service advisor at Deter Motors, retiring February 2, 1989. Hubert learned to fly under the GI Bill and has owned several airplanes. His other hobbies included flying, camping, boating, restoring Cushman motorcycles, John Deere tractors, woodworking and metal working. In the past, he served as Captain in the Civil Air Patrol, Commander of VFW and lifetime member, American Legion member for over 60 years. Hugh was baptized in 1924 and confirmed in the Christian faith at First Lutheran Church south of Wiota on August 15, 1937. Since moving to Atlantic, he has been a member of the Zion Lutheran Church.
He was preceeded in death his granddaughter Christine Anne Galitz, his parents, sisters Mavis Maxine (Porter) Bailey and Minnie Cora Belle (Porter) Jones, brother-in-law Elmer Wiepert, brother and sister-in-law Herbert and Neola Wiepert;. aunts and uncles, Wayne Porter, Dolly Hood, Ralph Porter, Jetta Tupker, Zura Brown, William Tibken, John and Anna Tibken;. mother and father-in-law, Peter and Margaret (Steen) Wiepert.
Hugh is survived by his wife, Wilma, of Atlantic; daughter, Peggy Gaul and husband Gene; granddaughter, Melissa Sorrick and husband John; step-grandchildren, Bridgett, Stephanie, and Tim Gaul and one step-great-grandson Benjamin; brother-in-law, Richard Jones of Dallas Texas. Nieces and nephews including Cathy( Bailey) Littlefield and husband, Leroy, Rick Bailey, Hugh Bailey, Richard (RJ) Jones, Jeff Jones, Ida (Wiepert) Copenhaver, Elaine (Wiepert) Willie, and great-nieces and nephews.
There will be an open visitation at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic for Hubert on Saturday, January 21, from 8:00 to 12:00 noon, Sunday, January 22, from 12:00 to 4:00 and on Monday, January 23, from 8:00 until the family visitation which will be from 6:00 to 8:00 The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, January 24, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic at 10:00 in the morning, with Pastor Kenneth Davidson officiating. Committal will be in the First Lutheran Cemetery south of Wiota with military services by the Atlantic Color Guard at the cemetery.