Scipio Porter

1934 - 2015

Scipio Porter
October 12, 1934 - March 9, 2015
Berkeley
The Honorable Scipio Porter, Jr., 80, died at home on March 9, 2015. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on October 12, 1934, Scip came to California with his parents, Scipio and Laura (Bloodworth) Porter, and sister, Mary, as part of the Second Great Migration, settling in San Mateo in 1943. Scip graduated from San Mateo High School in 1952 and received an AA degree from San Mateo Junior College in 1954. He went on to earn his BA in Economics from UC Berkeley in 1956.
Scip cared deeply about social justice and devoted much of his early professional life to anti-poverty and civil rights work. He was a social worker for the Alameda County Welfare Department from 1957 to 1963 and Field Secretary for the West Coast Regional Office of the NAACP from 1963-64. He served as Executive Director of both the Alameda County Human Relations Commission (1964-65) and the Economic Opportunities Organization, Berkeley Area (1965-67).
Scip took these commitments in a new direction after passing the California Bar in 1967, pursuant to earning a law degree from Golden Gate University. He worked briefly for the Legal Aid Society of Alameda County and ran a private legal practice in Berkeley and Oakland, beginning in 1968. He became an administrative law judge in 1977, hearing cases for the California State Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Judge Porter was Presiding Administrative Law Judge in the Oakland Office of Appeals from 1985-88 and served as President of the Administrative Law Judges Association from 1990-92. He retired from his judgeship in 2004 but continued hearing cases as a retired annuitant.
Scip is survived by Barbara Porter, his wife of 53 years; sons Scott Porter and Eric Porter; daughter-in-law Catherine Ramírez; grandchildren Carmen and Omar; sisters Mary Ruffin and Arlene Jackson; nieces Tracey Webb and Amy Ruffin; nephew Ronald Jackson; and grand nieces Ashley Ruffin-Brown and Alexandria Brown.
Scip strove for what he called a "balanced life" and had many pastimes. He was a voracious reader across numerous subjects and genres. He loved music, especially jazz and blues, and was an amateur saxophonist since high school. He was an enthusiastic golfer and poker player as well. Scip loved to travel, and he and Barbara spent many of their fondest moments together touring Asia, Europe, and Central and South America.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to your favorite charity. The family will be holding a private memorial.