Richard "Dick" A. Porter

Richard A. (Dick) Buckner Portner was born in Ft. Smith, Arkansas on March 15, 1934 he died October 4, 2025 at his home in McCall.

His mother died after giving birth to Dick and his twin Mary. At the age of four his father was killed in a hunting accident. Dick and his twin were adopted by Bonna Belle and Albert Porter in 1938 and moved to the small town of Albany, Texas where dad Porter owned a Drug Store and mother Porter was the organist of the First Christian Church.

Dick attended LeTourneau Tech and then joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953. He had a love for cars and could take an engine apart and put it back together again with no problem. (of course each time they would try and make the car go faster). He also had a love for photography and model airplanes which he later pursued in life with his children.

During his tour with Special Forces in Washington, D.C. he was on the U.S. military rifle team, won many awards and continued to enjoy this competition while in Germany.

He met his wife Helen in Vancouver, British Columbia on December 31, 1957, and they were married on February 17, 1958. During the first 15 years of their marriage they traveled wherever the military sent Dick which included Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Washington, D.C., Idaho and Germany.

Dick was a fun-loving husband and a role model for his kids. He showed them there were rules in life, but you could also have a fun time. The family had many fishing trips, backpacking trips, and hunting outings. The treasured vacation was the last time the family were together before the children headed to college. It was a ski trip in June to Timberline, skiing on the glacier and a salmon trip on the Oregon coast where both Dick and his daughter Bonnie caught salmon and Helen and John were skunked.

After retirement from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of Master Sergeant, Dick continued his career in Aviation Maintenance for another 20 years at the Boise Airport. After the move to McCall, Dick became very much interested in photography. He joined the Boise Camera Club and loved the competition with his fellow photographers. He pursued photography in McCall and was more than willing to help anyone interested and ready to learn.

He joined the American Legion Post 119 in McCall. He was the Historian as well as the one that took care of all the rifles for the Honor Guard as well as participating. He took pictures of all the vets joining the American Legion as well as the all the functions. Many of the pictures remain on the walls at the Legion Hall in McCall. He was instrumental in setting up the first Salmon River float trip for disabled vets from the Boise VA Hospital. Having been in the military he had a great love for the veterans, especially the wounded.

When nearing the age of 80, Dick and Helen took up a new challenged hobby called “Bench Rest Shooting”. This was a 600/1,000-yard competition shoot held at different shooting ranges in the Northwest. This precision shooting took a lot of time and energy t perfect the bullet load as well as practice time for accuracy. Dick was top dog in some of these shoots as well as in the 200-yard range.

Dick never met a stranger! He was very friendly and outgoing and loved to kid his grandkids who soon could tell whether grandpa was serious or not.

Dick is survived by his wife Helen of 67 years and son John of Puyallup, WA; grandchildren Tyler Ferrel (wife Heather) grandchildren Teegan and Tynlee; Kelsey Ferrel, Connor Porter (wife Ellie) grandchildren Macy, Nathan, Bonnie and Susie; and Morgan Porter (husband Johnny). Dick’s daughter Bonnie preceded his death in January 2006 (Leukemia).

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to a Veteran’s organization of your choice.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, McCall, ID followed by a Celebration of Life at the Porter home (1078 Ridge Road).

Private interment will be in the Finnish Church Cemetery.

Online condolences may be left at www.mccallfunerals.com

Arrangements in care of McCall Funeral Home.