Obituary of Hank Porter

Henry "Hank" Carl Porter August 4, 1935 - January 23, 2023 Born Wolfgang Heinz Pollack in Berlin, Germany, Hank passed away peacefully in his sleep of natural causes. In December 1946, after he and his mother survived WWII and the Holocaust, they immigrated to the United States from Prague, Czechoslovakia. One of his fondest memories was seeing the New York City Christmas lights upon his arrival. Hank was hard working. He learned English quickly and excelled at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. In 1953, he earned a scholarship from the US Navy and attended the University of Rochester in New York. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. In 1957, now a Naval Officer, he spent 22 months on the USS Forrestal. He attended flight school and served as an air traffic controller. He also completed two tours of duty in the Mediterranean Sea. After active duty, he continued to serve in the Naval Reserve for a few more years. He was proud of his service, proud to be an American. Hank moved to Southern California in 1960 where he worked as an applications engineer for Continental Device and a sales manager for Digitran. Hank and Barbara married in 1967. They moved to Lakeport in 1972. Hank worked for Ruzicka Engineering for 5 years and then became the Flood Control and Water Conservation District Manager for Lake County. He retired in 1992. He enjoyed acting in the local theater group starting in 1990. Two of his favorite roles were Bogey in "Play it Again Sam'' and Jud in "Oklahoma." In all, he performed in 25 plays. His last play was "Love Letters" in 2017. During recent years, he made friends at Unity Clear Lake Spiritual Center in Lower Lake. He genuinely appreciated their positivity and love. Hank was a man of many talents. His family called him “Dr. Porter,” the man who could fix anything—cars, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, he could do it all. Hank will be remembered for his hearty laugh, contagious to all around him, and his repertoire of jokes and good humor. Hank is survived by his wife, Barbara, and three children, Carl, Melinda, and Ellen. He was very proud of their many accomplishments and greatly enjoyed spending time with his four granddaughters, Claire, Camille, Alice, and Lana. Lastly, Hank wrote poetry. To his many friends throughout the years: "Sentimental me, I guess I'll always be, In love with love, through eternity." He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Per request, no formal service is being held. You may share memories by signing the guest book at Legacy.com.