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Eric Porter

Eric Porter

Lieu de naissance : Lancaster, Grande Bretagne
Date de naissance : 3 juillet 1917

Lieu de décès : Bridgetown
Date de décès : 17 août 2016

PORTER, Eric Orwell – WW2 Pilot, Scientist, Runner (July 3, 1917 – August 17, 2016) of Paradise, NS, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at Mountain Lea Lodge, Bridgetown at the age of 99. Eric was born in Lancaster England to Herbert and Evelyn (née Forsyth) Porter at the home of Eric’s grandfather. They moved a few years later to Barrow-in-Furness where his grandfather was the chief hull design engineer at Vickers Armstrong shipyards. His father was the Chief Financial Clerk at Barrow City Council. At the age of 15, Eric won one of two annual scholarships to enter the elite RAF air cadet programme at Cranwell, where he graduated in 1938 a year before the outbreak of WW2. He served with distinction in the Coastal Command Squadron 269 and was made Squadron Leader at age 23 as such was the attrition rate among pilots. Having completed a second tour of duty in 1941, he was reassigned to train Canadian pilots at Debert, Nova Scotia where he met Mary Elizabeth Denison of Springfield Mass. and Paradise Nova Scotia. Mary’s mother Laura was a Phinney. They were married before Eric was sent back to active duty in 1942, serving the remainder of the war stationed in Malta, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East in the years following the end of hostilities. He left the RAF in 1948 with the rank of Wing Commander and went to Boston to join his wife and two young children (Mary Evelyn b 1942 and John b 1946). He soon found work with General Electric as a design engineer and spent the rest of his working life with GE in various locations across the US, but mostly at the giant River Works site in Lynn Massachusetts where he was instrumental in the development of some of the worlds’ most reliable jet turbines. He completed the very demanding A, B and C course, the equivalent of a PhD in applied engineering. He retired at 60 and he and Mary moved to the Phinney homestead farm in Paradise in 1977. Eric took up long distance running, competing in races from 10k to marathons in Canada, the USA and the first London Marathon in 1981. He won many races in the 60+ and 70+ categories, and was Canadian 10k and Cross Country champion in the 60+ age group for several years. He ran his last competitive race aged 81. Eric continued to live in Paradise after his wife died in 1997 and was a familiar figure running the roads of the Annapolis Valley in all seasons and all weather conditions. He was an inspiration to many young runners and was honoured by Run Nova Scotia with a Life Time Honorary Membership. In keeping with Eric’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A remembrance service will be held from 1:00-3:00 PM on Friday November 25, 2016 at Middleton Funeral Home 398 Main St. (902) 825-3448. Donations in Eric’s memory may be made to the Veterans Unit of Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, Annapolis County ATV & Multiuse Trails Society or a charity of choice. Online guestbook may be signed by visiting: www.middletonfuneralhome.com

 

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