Frank Alves Porto, Jr., 81, a longtime resident of Oakland, CA, passed away peacefully on January 14, 2026, surrounded by his wife, Joan, and their four children. Frank was a deeply thoughtful husband, father, grandfather, and friend whose intellectual curiosity, moral courage, and love of conversation is remembered by all who knew him.
Born on May 13, 1944, in Oakland, CA, to Frank Sr. and Margaret “Nadine” Porto, Frank was raised in Richmond with his brothers Steven, Phil, and Ken and graduated from Harry Ells High School in 1962. An imposing figure and gifted athlete, he distinguished himself in track and field when he began college studies while working through the longshoreman’s union. During the Vietnam War, Frank enlisted in the United States Navy, serving for five years. He was deployed on the USS Mahnomen County (where he was shipwrecked in Chu Lai during Typhoon Pamela), on the USS Constellation, on the USS Enterprise, and at the Defense Language Institute. After his service, he spent a year as a mailman before returning to his studies and earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from San José State University in 1974. There he met and married Joan Youngquist, an occupational therapy student, who shared his love of long walks and wide-ranging conversation.
Frank began doctoral studies at Stanford University, leaving the program as his family grew. He spent a long and accomplished career as a mechanical and nuclear engineer, working to build Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, at the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, and for more than two decades with the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration. One highlight of his career was his work supporting nuclear non-proliferation efforts in Kazakhstan during the 1990s. He was proud of serving his country and making the world safer. He retired in 2006, which allowed him to help care for grandchildren and take epic road trips around the country in his Volkswagen Van, which he named “Rosinante.”
A lifelong voracious reader, Frank had a deep love of philosophy, poetry, and classical music. He and Joan were members of a reading group that met faithfully for twenty-five years. Known as a gifted conversationalist, Frank delighted in vigorous discussion of politics and ideas with family, friends, coworkers, and strangers alike.
Frank was a dedicated and energetic father, volunteering in scouting, schools, track, and cross-country, and organizing math and reading groups for his children and their friends. He loved the outdoors and led many camping, hiking, and backpacking trips with family, friends, and scouts, particularly in the Sierra Nevada and Point Reyes. He is remembered for his vivid storytelling and spontaneous science lessons, which left a lasting impression on many young people.
Frank’s physical activity was limited in midlife after he sustained serious injuries while intervening to stop an assault, an act that reflected his instinctive courage, his love of his fellow-man, and his drive to right the wrongs of this world. In recognition of his heroism and sacrifice, he was invited to participate in the 1996 Olympic Torch relay. Despite profound physical challenges in the final years, his powerful mind and the extraordinary, devoted care of his beloved Joan allowed him to live a rich and meaningful life.
Frank is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joan Porto; his four children, Elisabeth (Andrew) Huffmaster, Alexander (Margaret) Porto, Victoria (Michael) Gaisford, and Francesca Porto; and his treasured grandchildren, Nathaniel, Evangeline, and Theodore Huffmaster, Julius, Soren, Savannah, and Viviana Gaisford, Eleanor and Westley Porto; his beloved brothers Steven (Peggy), Phillip (Dorothy), and Kenneth (Suzanne) and brother-in-law Kenneth Youngquist (Deborah); cousin and good friend Anthony Wayne (Pamela) and many special nieces and nephews whose lives were always of interest to him. He was a cherished grandfather whose curiosity, integrity, and warmth will live on through his grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Frank’s name may be made to the American Red Cross or the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in keeping with his lifelong commitment to justice and the free exchange of ideas.
Born on May 13, 1944, in Oakland, CA, to Frank Sr. and Margaret “Nadine” Porto, Frank was raised in Richmond with his brothers Steven, Phil, and Ken and graduated from Harry Ells High School in 1962. An imposing figure and gifted athlete, he distinguished himself in track and field when he began college studies while working through the longshoreman’s union. During the Vietnam War, Frank enlisted in the United States Navy, serving for five years. He was deployed on the USS Mahnomen County (where he was shipwrecked in Chu Lai during Typhoon Pamela), on the USS Constellation, on the USS Enterprise, and at the Defense Language Institute. After his service, he spent a year as a mailman before returning to his studies and earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from San José State University in 1974. There he met and married Joan Youngquist, an occupational therapy student, who shared his love of long walks and wide-ranging conversation.
Frank began doctoral studies at Stanford University, leaving the program as his family grew. He spent a long and accomplished career as a mechanical and nuclear engineer, working to build Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, at the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, and for more than two decades with the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration. One highlight of his career was his work supporting nuclear non-proliferation efforts in Kazakhstan during the 1990s. He was proud of serving his country and making the world safer. He retired in 2006, which allowed him to help care for grandchildren and take epic road trips around the country in his Volkswagen Van, which he named “Rosinante.”
A lifelong voracious reader, Frank had a deep love of philosophy, poetry, and classical music. He and Joan were members of a reading group that met faithfully for twenty-five years. Known as a gifted conversationalist, Frank delighted in vigorous discussion of politics and ideas with family, friends, coworkers, and strangers alike.
Frank was a dedicated and energetic father, volunteering in scouting, schools, track, and cross-country, and organizing math and reading groups for his children and their friends. He loved the outdoors and led many camping, hiking, and backpacking trips with family, friends, and scouts, particularly in the Sierra Nevada and Point Reyes. He is remembered for his vivid storytelling and spontaneous science lessons, which left a lasting impression on many young people.
Frank’s physical activity was limited in midlife after he sustained serious injuries while intervening to stop an assault, an act that reflected his instinctive courage, his love of his fellow-man, and his drive to right the wrongs of this world. In recognition of his heroism and sacrifice, he was invited to participate in the 1996 Olympic Torch relay. Despite profound physical challenges in the final years, his powerful mind and the extraordinary, devoted care of his beloved Joan allowed him to live a rich and meaningful life.
Frank is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joan Porto; his four children, Elisabeth (Andrew) Huffmaster, Alexander (Margaret) Porto, Victoria (Michael) Gaisford, and Francesca Porto; and his treasured grandchildren, Nathaniel, Evangeline, and Theodore Huffmaster, Julius, Soren, Savannah, and Viviana Gaisford, Eleanor and Westley Porto; his beloved brothers Steven (Peggy), Phillip (Dorothy), and Kenneth (Suzanne) and brother-in-law Kenneth Youngquist (Deborah); cousin and good friend Anthony Wayne (Pamela) and many special nieces and nephews whose lives were always of interest to him. He was a cherished grandfather whose curiosity, integrity, and warmth will live on through his grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Frank’s name may be made to the American Red Cross or the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in keeping with his lifelong commitment to justice and the free exchange of ideas.
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