Robert Lee Porter

Reverend Robert Lee Porter, 86, died Friday, June 3, 2011. He is a member of St. Andrew Christian Church. Funeral services will be held 11:00AM on Monday, June 6, 2011 at Hart's at the Cupola, 6324 Peake Road, with the Reverends Bill Hammonds and Gene Cochran officiating. Burial will be in Glen Haven Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be between 3:00PM and 5:00PM on Sunday at Hart's at the Cupola. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Medcen Community Foundation for either Hospice of Central Georgia or Cancer Center Foundation, 858 High Street, Macon, GA 31294.

Reverend Porter was born in Beckley, West Virginia on February 10, 1925. He joined the United States Navy in 1943. He attended the University of Richmond in Virginia and Murray State Teacher's College in Kentucky in an officer's training program while in the US Navy. World War II ended while he was in officer's training and he elected to be discharged. He then went to Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Virginia where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1949 while also serving as minister of Harrisonburg Christian Church. In 1952, he received his Bachelor of Divinity Degree from Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky and became pastor of a church in Louisville, Kentucky. He came to Macon, Georgia to become pastor of Houston Avenue Christian Church on January 1, 1955 and served his congregation for 22 years.

Early in Reverend Porter's Georgia ministry, he served as State Youth Advisor where he directed and taught numerous young peoples' summer camps and conferences. He was past president of the Regional Assembly of the Christian Church in Georgia, past president of the General Board of the Christian Church in Georgia, and has served on numerous committees for the state program of the Christian Churches. He also served on the Board of the Christian College of Georgia in Athens and was a member of the Board of the Vineville Christian Towers, and past secretary of that Board. Reverend Porter was past president of the Macon Ministerial Association, past president of the Macon Mental Health Association, served as Campaign Drive Chairman for the March of Dimes and Macon Associated for Retarded Children. He served on the Steering Committee and as Chairman of the Junior Deputy Program. He was chairman of All Faiths Committee for the Medical Center of Central Georgia.

Reverend Porter was very active in the Alcohol Rehabilitation program and was one of the original members of a group chosen by the Health Department to begin the Alcoholic Rehabilitation Clinic in Macon. He began his initial training in weekly sessions at Central State Hospital and received a certificate for completing a course of study at the University of Georgia Continuing Education Center with the Southeast School of Alcohol Studies. He worked with two groups on Tuesday afternoons and one group on Tuesday nights in psychotherapy counseling, supported and encouraged a Thursday night AA group that met at Houston Avenue Christian Church, and individually helped patients at all times of the day and night as they had need and called upon him. He also took calls from the Crisis Line and helped by phone or went to the Emergency Room of the Medical Center to help others. He learned sign language because there was one alcoholic deaf person whom he counseled. He helped a deaf couple with marital problems, interpreted in various areas such as vocational rehabilitation and court cases, and even performed one wedding ceremony for a deaf couple. One of the mental health patients he counseled was a deaf girl.

Reverend Porter was active with the Middle Georgia Council on Drugs and received recognition for Outstanding Service to the Community for the years 1971, 1972, and 1973. He served as advisor to the Parents Without Partners organization. He also worked with the Juvenile Court aiding young people on probation.

In 1977, Reverend Porter became the recipient of the Macon Bar Association's Liberty Bell Award which honors outstanding service one gives to people in the community. He also received the "Golden Deeds Award" from the Macon Exchange Club on April 28,1977. He served on the Citizens Advisory Board of the Medical Center from 1968 to 2004 retiring due to health problems. After medical retirement in 1978, he began serving as Director of Services for Big Brothers/Big Sisters in 1979, retiring in 1990.

It would be impossible to estimate how many destitute and needy people he has helped through the church's benevolent fund, contributions of interested and concerned business and professional citizens, and in many cases with his own personal funds. His concern was to rehabilitate people whenever possible as he endeavored to help them help themselves and be a productive part of the society. No matter how low a person had become, he looked beyond all the ugliness and saw a potential for a useful human being and he tried to bring this to the surface of that person's life.

In 1998, Reverend Porter preached his last sermon at East Macon Methodist Church. In an exhortation which encapsulates his ministry and his love for people, he said, "The ministry of reconciliation, ahhh what a blessing; God through Christ empowers us with His Spirit to put a touch of love where love needs to be."

Survivors include his wife, Vesta K. Porter of Macon; son, Robert Lee Porter, Jr. (Deborah) of Douglas, Georgia; daughter, Marlene P. Sallee (Brett) of Louisville, Kentucky; son, Gary Russell Porter (Rhonda) of Macon; ten grandchildren, Alissa Evans (Gabe), Lindsey Porter, Aaron Fossaluzza, Anthony Fossaluzza, Amy Fossaluzza, Jessica Bullock (Dominick), Harley Sallee, Clayton Sallee, Mandy Woodall (John) and Warren Morgan; two great grandchildren, Alicia Woodall and Reese Evans; sister Jean Zutaut (Willis); and four nieces, Ruth Years, Christy Duane (Mike), Jean Nutting (Mike) Leslie Misiti (Larry), Jackie Porter Bennett, and nephew James Porter.

Hart's Mortuary and Crematory at the Cupola has charge of arrangements. Click here to view floral tributes. ">.">.