Birth date: Jun 17, 1958 Death date: Mar 21, 2019
Dr. Robert “Bob” Porter, age 60, passed away on March 21, 2019, after fighting as hard as he could against a sudden cardiac and respiratory illness. Bob was born on June 17, 1958, in Clinton, South Carolina. He moved to Howey-in- Read Obituary
I brought my mother to Dr Porter in the 90's. He took good care of her fx wrist I recall. My name is Meg Porte, my husband was Dr. Robert Porte, and we practiced also in Ft. Lauderdale. Every once in a while, we received calls for your husband's office, and I believe you might have also. Two beautiful doctors with different gifts. God Bless
His confidence in me bolstered my self esteem and early success out of college. Astute, empathetic and generous, he recommended life changing books like "The Noticer" and "The Road Less Travelled". Books that helped me form a foundation that I rely on to this day. I am forever grateful to this man and am deeply saddened by his passing. My heart goes out to his family.
The opportunity to speak with Dr. Porter was my only reason to go to the UCF Alumni events. Being the smartest man in the room, he was always busy talking with guests... He would see me, nod to acknowledge, finish his conversation and give me my annual 15 minutes of Dr. Porter time to catch up, talk business, etc. His wisdom was grand.
My condolences to his family.
My sincerest condolences to the Porter family. I am so sorry to hear of Bob's passing. He was a man who cared deeply about others and took the time to help you achieve your absolute best. Bob made a huge inpact in many lives. I am honored to have worked under Bob at Florida Choice Bank and the training and encouragement he gave me to become a leader with integrity.
I am so sad to have come across this. Dr. Porter was truly the best professor I ever had the pleasure of learning from. He was one of the people that was in my life shortly, but shaped it profoundly. A brilliant and kind man that took the time to encourage me and build my confidence. I still treasure the recommendation letter he wrote for my very first job out of college, and believe it or not, I've never been able to get rid of his class notes and assignments! The lessons last a lifetime. My prayers are with his family. May you find some peace in knowing that he truly changed lives.
Dr. Porter is one of the most intelligent & gifted teachers that I have ever known, & I will always appreciate the impact that he had on me as a young professional in the CBA undergrad program at UCF. May the Lord bring peace & comfort to his family during this difficult time, while knowing that he will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
God bless,
BRIAN L. NELSON
Romans 1:16-17 NKJV
This may be a bit long, but I want to share Porter's gift of caring.
I met Porter when he was CFO at Florida Choice Bank. He encouraged me to start my college career (AA), he is one of the reasons I am now working on my PhD. He was an amazing man, and from what I know, a great dad and very proud grandpa of his little girls.
Over the past 15 years, Porter was a big part of my life (Life Coach/Mentor/Friend). He helped me through my daughter’s drug addiction and coached me in all aspects of my adventures. I often found myself wondering what Porter would do in my situation. Those who really knew him can relate… Porter would give a slight nod of his head and sometimes bow with honor and humility (even if he was on the right side of the argument) and say something with such profound insight.
Most often, I find myself saying that I am too busy to meet for coffee, or to have lunch with a friend. I am too busy to help my grandmother, or to talk to my dad about his hobby. Or I will procrastinate washing my dog, because I am too busy…. Well, my grandmother passed away before I could help her, my dad just recently died before I could sit with him, my dog just drowned in the lake… maybe he was trying to wash himself, and now my dear friend, Porter…. I promise that I will see you in Heaven for that cup of coffee.
If there is something that you need to do in life, I have learned to just do it. Porter and I corresponded mostly through email and I just found some of his encouraging words of wisdom, one of which touches on the subject of “busy”.
Porter wrote: “Everyone is always busy, it’s just what you choose to do with your time that looks different from the outside. For instance, every camera lens is always in focus, on something…maybe not what you want, or expect, but it’s always focusing on something. I think that someone sitting on a couch watching TV is busy… ;o)”
I will close with something that he would text me as he remembered me and my family’s struggles, and I am most positive that he would say this to his family right now.
“Take a deep breath and focus on the key things for the day…” – Robert Porter
“Do not give up hope on your situation or the things that are important to you in life – the bad seasons will pass…the good will come through for you.” - Robert Porter
I love my husband dearly, and can’t imagine losing him…I feel for the whole family (Terry and kids)… my condolences…
This is my last email to you, my dear friend, SR, I miss you already!
All my best,
PD
Dr. Porter was my professor in grad school. I found him knowledgeable, funny, and gracious and I learned so much from him. This is such a shock. My condolences to his family.
I heard of Dr. Porter's passing this afternoon. I am shocked and deeply saddened. His departure from the EDC left a void that is difficult to fill. His leadership and professionalism were unmatched. My sincere condolences to the Porter family. He is and will be missed.
Farshad Charmforoosh
